Connect your patients' or clients' caregivers to 1:1 support
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Good morning,
Today is National Caregiver Day, a day of appreciation for the millions of caregivers across the U.S. who provide so much for so many. Though a percentage of those caregivers are professionals, the vast majority comprise the 53 million adults — typically friends and family members — who serve as informal, unpaid caregivers across our country.
This observance day presents an opportunity to both thank family caregivers for all they do to help others — and also ask how we can help and support them. As a provider, you can:
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Ask your patients or clients if they have a family member or friend who provides them with daily or occasional care.
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Help those caregivers connect directly with us (here's how).
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Let caregivers know that there is free, personalized caregiver assistance available at their convenience (they can learn more here).
For more than 40 years, we at FCA have been providing caregivers with tailored service, support and resources. We look forward to being able to help those in your circle.
Thanks for all you do!
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Thank you,
Family Caregiver Alliance
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Greetings from all of us at the FCA! We thought we'd share the friendly faces behind our small but mighty non-profit. In these days spent mainly online, the human connection is more important than ever. This is especially true for the thousands of caregivers we serve in the Bay Area and beyond.
When the pandemic hit, we quickly built up our service channels and offerings to ensure that caregivers did not fall through the cracks. We worked to make sure that they could still connect with our staff online or on the phone to receive assistance, support and resources. Over the last 6 month, we've been able to provide:
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1,135 clients with comprehensive support services
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2,721 hours of service to caregivers in our communities
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254 clients with personalized assessments and care plans
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627 hours of support group assistance to 68 clients
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225 hours of training to 49 clients
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38 other community education programs serving 873 people
We look forward to the day when we can once again meet our caregiver clients in person. But in the meantime, we'll continue providing them with the same friendly, personalized support and service they've come to rely on — just from a short distance away!
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Upcoming Classes for Caregivers |
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We've updated our calendar with more free, web-based classes for family caregivers. Please share the following with your clients or patients!
Effective Communications (in Tagalog) — Feb 25, 1:30-3pm PT Family caregivers often struggle with maintaining good communication and avoiding conflicts within the family. This class helps Filipino caregivers and Tagalog-speaking family caregivers understand the complexities of communication with their families and gives them strategies to cope effectively. Read full class info here and sign up here. (flyer PDF)
Powerful Tools
This popular, evidence-based 6-week class is designed to provide family caregivers with the skills they need to take care of themselves. Six class sessions held once a week are led by certified, experienced class leaders. Suitable for caregivers of adults with chronic conditions as well as parents of children with special needs. Open to residents of the 6 Bay Area counties.
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Classes in Spanish begin Mar 17 — class info here, registration here (flyer PDF)
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Classes in English begin Mar 25 — class info here, registration here (flyer PDF)
Caregiving 101 — Mar 10, 2pm - 3:15pm PT
The goal of this class is to identify what a caregiver is, the importance of being identified as a caregiver, and to provide participants with an understanding of the impact they potentially leave on the care of their loved ones and themselves. Open to residents of the 6 Bay Area counties — learn more here and sign up here.
Send clients and patients to our full calendar of classes, webinars and events here.
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Expert-led Webinars for Professionals
A Curated Playlist
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Check out this playlist of webinars designed for health care providers, social service professionals and others working in the aging and caregiving space.
Webinars are led by experts in their field and offer quality information, practical guidance and valuable takeaways. This playlist includes:
1. Caregiver Assessment I: Why and What Should We Assess?
2. Caregiver Assessment II: Practice Considerations for System Change
3. Creativity & Aging: Creativity, Communication and Dementia
4. The Impact of Healthcare Reform on Family Caregivers
5. Know Your Medicare Rights and Exercise Them
See the entire playlist here and watch in any order, at your convenience. Explore other playlists on FCA's YouTube channel.
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Learn more about FCA — what we do, who we serve and how we can work with you — in these recent national stories.
FCA Clinical Services Director and Family Consultant Christina Irving joins other caregiving experts, as well as dozens of caregivers, in sharing best advice to help the next generation of caregivers. A great read full of actionable tips, resource links and expert advice.
How has caregiving changed during the pandemic and how can caregivers get support? Listen to this episode of KQED's Public Radio's Forum Program, where FCA's Christina Irving and a panel of fellow caregiving experts answer these questions.
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Funding That Supports Caregivers |
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FCA is thrilled to have received two recent funding batches that will help us serve more caregivers locally and from afar.
CARES Act
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocated $50M nationwide for State Aging and Disability Resource Centers — and caregiver support was one of the funding service types. FCA will be using allocated funds to increase and enhance services in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
Adira Foundation Grant
FCA is honored to be one of five grantees across the country that are addressing needs of people impacted by one or more of the neurodegenerative diseases (ND) that the Adira Foundation focuses on. Our project will pilot an education and support program for caregivers of people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease. We'll also be holding listening sessions with current and former caregivers, interviewing SF Bay Area ND providers, and developing a new class curriculum focused on the expressed needs of caregivers. Stay tuned for more info!
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You may have noticed our new logo up top? FCA has been working on a brand refresh and we're excited to share our new look with you!
Stay tuned for more soon, including an all-new website!
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Vaccines & Family Caregivers |
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We're letting all our peers and partners know about VaccinateCA, a volunteer-led project that publishes up-to-date Covid-19 vaccine availability at hospitals and pharmacies across the state. Feel free to share the site with seniors and their caregivers!
Also, there is a national conversation going on about whether family caregivers should be considered essential workers who qualify for early vaccines. While there is an abundance of reasons they should, few counties are explicitly including caregivers under the umbrella of health care and essential workers. We will continue following developments and share any important updates, but in the meantime we recommend checking in regularly with your individual county for updates.
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We respect your inbox, so we send our e-News Update out every 1-2 months. But between issues, we are still hosting and sharing plenty of activities, classes, webinars and new resources for caregivers.
Stay in the know by following us on any or all of our social media channels — and be sure to share them with others who can benefit!
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Get in Touch Today
Connect caregivers to personalized support & caregiving resources
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>> Contact us:
Phone
(800) 445-8106 toll free
(415) 434-3388
(extension 331)
Email
Fax a referral to
(415) 434-3508
Download the referral fax form here
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>> Or let caregivers contact us directly by phone or online:
It's easy, fast and only a click away. Caregivers can go online to answer a 15-minute questionnaire that gets them services and answers quickly. They can also set up time to talk with our staff at their convenience.
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ABOUT Family Caregiver Alliance
FCA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for family caregivers and those who receive their care. Our work intersects three key areas: caregiver services, policy, and research. Learn more here. Although a nationally-recognized organization, San Francisco-established FCA has deep roots and community partnerships in the Bay Area.
FCA supports and assists caregivers of adults with chronic or disabling health conditions regardless of race, ancestry, national origin, creed, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, income, or age.
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