Caregiving

Map of FCPP activity in 2016
Featured Dr. Joanne Lynn

FCPP 2016 Year in Review

by Ben Scribner MSN, RN

In 2016, the election of our nation’s 45th President captured the world’s political attention. During that political season we operated the bipartisan Family Caregiver Platform Project, which encouraged the inclusion of caregiving as an issue in party platforms. In an effort to recap what we learned and highlight our success, the Family Caregiver Platform Project published an article in The Journal of American Geriatrics Society that you can read at:

Creating A Nationwide Nonpartisan Initiative for Family Caregivers in Political Party Platforms. Ben Scribner MSN, Joanne Lynn MD, Victoria Walker MD, Les Morgan, Anne Montgomery MS, Elizabeth Blair MPP, Davis Baird MSG, Barbara Goldschmidt BA, Naomi Kirschenbaum MPH. First published: 10 March 2017 https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.14814

Here is a recap of our primary findings.

The Family Caregiver Platform Project aims to reach individual volunteers and organizations to raise awareness of family caregivers through the platform process for both the Democratic and Republican Parties. The value of the project is measured not solely in the number of platforms that formally adopt platform language, but also in the dialogue and discussion that advocates and organizations stimulate in a political arena that has historically been silent on caregiver issues. Most state parties update their platforms in Presidential election years, articulating their values and beliefs when national political interest is at its peak.

By September, 2016, many state parties and both the Republican and the Democratic national parties formed platforms. The Family Caregiver Platform Party was widely successful in creating awareness for family caregivers in numerous states across the country.

  • As of September, 2016, FCPP volunteers submitted proposals to 29 state parties in 22 states. Family caregiver language was added to eight state party platforms, one state party resolution, two bipartisan legislative resolutions, and one national party platform.
  • We identified three specific methods by which state parties accept new proposals for their platform: (1) “Bubble-Up” Process, (2) Direct Submission, or (3) Live Testimony. Eighteen state parties received input via direct submission, four state parties received input via live testimony at formal party hearings, and seven state parties received input via the “bubble-up” process.
  • Twenty-three submissions were made for state party platforms, four submissions were made for state party resolutions, and two legislative bipartisan resolutions were developed within state legislatures.
  • Most of our proposals (18/29) were submitted directly by volunteers, while (11/29) were submitted as part of testimony or during local meetings. Six of the eleven live testimony or “bubble-up” submissions resulted in the party adding family caregiving language to their party’s resolution or platform, while only five of the seventeen direct submissions resulted in language added to their party’s resolution or platform.
  • Roughly one-third (10/29) of the submissions were made to state Republican parties.
  • The FCPP project concluded the 2016 political season with submissions to Democratic and Republican national platforms. These submissions were made by The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, unifying a joint effort of 72 non-profit national organizations, including the FCPP. In the final version of their national platform, the Republican party highlighted “homecare as a priority in public policy,” while the Democratic party included a sub-section titled “Supporting Working Families,” specifically calling for various policies to support family caregivers.

State political parties will continue meeting and discussing their values and priorities in 2017. In 2017, the Democratic parties in Massachusetts and Utah will be updating their party platforms. In addition to party internal work, we expect to see a broad range of legislative initiatives across the country that will affect caregivers at the national, state, and local levels.

Our democracy depends on participation by involved and informed citizens. The FCPP continues to support bipartisan efforts to raise awareness of caregiving as a core family value that can unite all Americans.

[map credit: Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness, used with permission]

Portrait of Victoria Walker, MD
Featured Dr. Joanne Lynn

Welcome to the Family Caregiver Platform Project

Welcome to the Family Caregiver Platform Project! It is an honor to serve as your National Coordinator. The hard work of volunteers across the United States on behalf of family caregivers has an impact that we have been able to track through this project.

In 2016 our volunteers made 29 language submissions in 22 states. Language was officially adopted in eight state party platforms, one state party resolution, and two state bipartisan legislative resolutions. Moreover, both Democrats and Republicans included language in their 2016 National Platforms affirming the importance of family caregiving and home care.

State political parties will continue meeting and discussing their values and priorities in 2017. Following the 2016 presidential election, Americans of all parties are more aware of and engaged with political processes than ever. Caregiving is important to American families of all political philosophies. You can ensure that family caregiving issues are included in political discussions in your community and state.

In 2017, the Democratic parties in Massachusetts and Utah will be updating their party platforms. If you live in either of those states contact your state party to find out how you can give input to their platform process. You can read what we know about their processes on their individual state pages. You may also want to pursue having your State Legislature issue a bipartisan resolution affirming the importance of family caregiving, as was done in South Dakota and Mississippi in 2016.

We encourage everyone to read our suggested caregiver platform planks as a source for ideas to advance in your state. Examples of submission language for state party platforms and legislative resolutions can be found on our downloads page.

— Victoria Walker, MD, Chief Medical and Quality Officer for the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society

word cloud for medicaring.org
Featured Dr. Joanne Lynn

How the National Party Platforms Address Caregiving

The Republican and Democratic parties approved their national platforms at their conventions in July 2016. You can learn more on our pages for the Democratic National Platform and the Republican National Platform.

72 Nonprofit Organizations Call for Caregiving Language

In 2016 the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO.org) submitted draft language to the platform committees of both political parties. The LCAO is a coalition of 72 member associations dedicated to preserving and strengthening the well-being of America’s older population. Their recommendations are consistent with the approach the Family Caregiver Platform Project has taken. For example, the LCAO letter has a section titled “Support for Caregiving” that reads, in part:

We are committed to helping family caregivers by developing a long-term services and supports system that both expands access to home and community-based services and ensures a qualified interdisciplinary workforce that is appropriately trained and properly compensated. We believe it is critical to expand federal opportunities to support family caregivers through increasing federal funding for existing programs that help caregivers, including caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. We believe it is important to ensure that family caregivers have an explicit role in care plans and the services and supports they need to provide care; resources to alleviate financial hardships and promote retirement security; and access to flexible employment policies. We also believe it is important to encourage the creation of a volunteer “caregiver corps.”

The Platform Project logo
Featured Dr. Joanne Lynn

About the Family Caregiver Platform Project

The Family Caregiver Platform Project (FCPP) works to get caregiving issues included in as many state party platforms as possible.

The FCPP is a national collaborative effort between major organizations. Together with its national partners, the FCPP encourages nonpartisan grassroots efforts to educate and motivate policymakers to improve state and federal support for family caregivers and older adults. The FCPP works with individual volunteers and organizations to raise awareness of caregiving issues. It doesn’t matter which party you belong to! We care about the issues, not the parties themselves.

During the 2016 political season, many state parties revised their platforms. In 2016 our volunteers made 29 language submissions in 22 states. Language was officially adopted in eight state party platforms, one state party resolution, and two state bipartisan legislative resolutions. Moreover, both Democrats and Republicans included language in their 2016 National Platforms affirming the importance of family caregiving.

During 2017 and 2018, volunteers continued to work at the local level to encourage discussion of caregiving issues in their political setting. You can download customizable platform language templates to minimize the effort to prepare submissions to local groups, caucus meetings, city councils, and legislative committees.

You can send the FCPP an email message at info@caregivercorps.org.

In 2016, the FCPP was supported by a grant from the Lawrence & Rebecca Stern Family Foundation to The Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness (CECAI) at Altarum Institute, which continues to support the effort on a pro bono basis. The project was also made possible through the Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program, through the generous support of The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John A. Hartford Foundation.

Why Political Platforms Matter

Adopting better policies in state party platforms can be a first step in creating a positive policy climate nationally. A platform is a declaration of where a party stands on issues. Not all parties adopt a state platform. Some adopt party resolutions that are statements of policy, not “platforms,” but that help guide legislative initiatives within the state. Whatever the parties call them, these statements of values are important guidance mechanisms for political action within a state.

Eventually, aging people need improved federal aging policies, not just state-by-state advances. There is a relationship between state and federal policy in which some improvements will be demonstrated first at the state level, and later disseminated nationally. In other cases, federal rule changes will affect caregiving options across many states.

About Caregiving

As millions of us embrace the gift of longer lives in the 21st century, our communities will increasingly need to support their elderly residents so that these residents can age in place and live in dignity. Seven out of 10 of us will need assistance from another person. We will need help with simple activities such as eating, bathing, and moving from place to place. That’s why we need a community that cares.

Unless we act to make home caregiving more feasible for more people, professional care will be the only alternative. Institutional care comes at a high cost, often supported by taxes. Few people would choose institutional care if home care were possible. Allowing people to remain at home for as long as feasible is both more compassionate and more cost-effective.

There are many kinds of families and community needs. Recognizing diversity is important to all of us. The FCPP uses the word “family” to mean all those who are bound to the person who is ill or disabled by friendship, relationship, or law. There are also many ways to improve the lives of caregivers. Options for action vary by state and community.

2015 Submissions

The FCPP had a busy year in 2015. Many volunteers helped to submit language proposals in 2015. Volunteers found that the process was easy and fun. Most parties welcome participation by people within their state and are quite grateful for suggestions.

● The FCPP submitted language to the National Republican Party via the party website in December 2015, with the help of caregiver advocates in New York and Illinois.
● The Arizona Democratic Party received a platform submission in August 2015 and a resolution proposal shortly thereafter.
● The Arkansas Republican Party received a platform submission in December 2015.
● The California Democratic Party received platform submissions in October and November 2015.
● The California Republican Party received a platform submission in September 2015 but subsequently adopted its 2016 platform without including language relating to caregivers.
● The Georgia Democratic Party received a platform submission in December 2015.
● The Maine Democratic Party received a platform submission in December 2015.
● The New Mexico Republican Party received a platform submission in December 2015.
● The Oregon Democratic Party received a platform submission in December 2015.
● The Vermont Democratic Party received a platform submission in October 2015.

Want to Know More?

  • Visit the Family Caregiver Platform Project website at caregivercorps.org.
  • Send an email message to info@caregivercorps.org to learn more about how to get involved.
A diagram showing how to go from opportunity to policy change through advocacy.
Dr. Joanne Lynn

Focus on Community Catalyst

The Family Caregiver Platform Project (FCPP) is pleased to have Community Catalyst as one of our National Partners. Working together we can bring about changes to better serve the needs of family caregivers. Community Catalyst is a consumer advocacy organization working in 40 states. Kate Villers, President and Founder of Community Catalyst, says of their mission, “Each state is different, with a different political environment, so there is no single, cookie-cutter approach.“

Community Catalyst’s state-based partners provide leadership to state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations. Their experts assist state activists with research information, technical support, and political strategies to ensure consumers have a voice in decisions that affect their health. They share our view that community leadership is essential to transform the health care and social services that caregivers depend on.

Community Catalyst ran a guest editorial about the FCPP in the January 14, 2016 issue of their newsletter, The Dual Agenda. The piece by Victoria Walker, MD, explains how the goals of the FCPP overlap with those of Community Catalyst. You can subscribe to The Dual Agenda newsletter at communitycatalyst.org.

If any issue can unite communities across America it is caregiving. It’s easy and fun to bring caregiver issues to the attention of your local representatives. Many states are organizing now in preparation for caucuses and conventions. Go to Find Your State to discover upcoming events you can attend. You can download model language that can be customized for platform plank or resolution submission in your own state.

We urgently need your help. You can make a difference!