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Recommendations for California from the Alzheimer’s Association

Source: http://act.alz.org/site/DocServer/CAREGIVERS.pdf?docID=4644

• Support, fund, and expand the availability of professional guidance to help family caregivers navigate and manage myriad safety and behavioral issues through an array of services such as caregiver assessment, care consultation, counseling, care management, respite care, support groups, assistive technologies, and other effective interventions.
• Empower family caregivers to register for, participate in, and complete training in established educational programs offered by reliable public and nonprofit organizations with specialized expertise in Alzheimer’s disease.
• Increase participation in educational programs among diverse caregivers through culturally and linguistically appropriate offerings.
• Encourage businesses and other workplace sites to offer family caregiver support services; for example, flexible work hours, referrals and counseling through Employee Assistance Programs, and other employee initiatives.
• Secure foundation, corporate, and nonprofit funding for effective statewide family caregiver training programs.
• Invest in the future of the Caregiver Resource Centers, Alzheimer’s Day Care Resource Centers, California Alzheimer’s Disease Centers, and other programs tailored to the unique needs of family caregivers.
• Increase the availability of and referral to face-to-face and web-based support groups for family caregivers and persons in the early stage of the disease. Encourage referral by physicians, health professionals, and community-based organizations.
• Educate and enlist the faith community as community resources that can help reach out to and support family caregivers.
• Recognize and address the financial burden of caregiving and work to protect spouses from impoverishment at all levels of care.
• Recognize caregiving as a health risk factor that warrants public health attention to encourage health professionals to acknowledge and address the issue.