Dear Members and Colleagues,
Happy 2024! We hope that you were able to take a bit of time to re-energize and connect more intentionally with your loved ones. We are excited to jump into another year of championing change for America’s 53 million family caregivers!
Over the last year, we made significant progress in advancing policies and initiatives in support of our nation’s growing community of caregivers, including a major Medicare rule change to help train caregivers, securing $20 million in federal funding to implement the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, and hosting the inaugural National Caregiving Summit. You can learn more in our end of year snapshot.
In 2024, we will build on this progress by mobilizing our network to shape culture and influence policy to make caregiving more equitable, dignified, and sustainable.
Highlights of the year ahead include:
- The #ActOnRAISE Campaign will release a policy agenda and host a series of roundtables with policymakers and federal agency leadership to drive action on our first-ever National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.
- We will host our second annual Caregiver Nation Summit and Advocacy Day to educate congressional leaders about the policy change needed to support the health and economic well-being of family caregivers.
- We will address gaps in caregiving research and data collection through our newly launched Advancing Caregiving Research and Evidence Network (CARE Network) – a partnership between NAC and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living (ACL).
- We will prioritize and safeguard the health of family caregivers. Leveraging the power of data and storytelling, we will continue to highlight the struggles and triumphs of caregivers across conditions, from cancer to transplant and rare diseases.
We’re already breaking through the noise on the issues we care about! Check out the below media features that highlight our impact:
- After loved ones’ long-awaited organ transplants, caregivers often find challenges are just beginning. STAT News recently featured our work advocating for greater support and systemic reforms to address the often-overlooked challenges faced by transplant caregivers. Their tireless dedication deserves a healthcare system that prioritizes equity and empowers them to best support their loved ones. Read here.
- Is healthcare relying too much on family caregivers? We talked with Modern Healthcare about the growing reliance of family caregivers in healthcare and the need to formalize support for this essential extension of the healthcare system. Read here.
- Boomer retirement bomb. Business Insider leveraged NAC and AARP #CaregivingInTheUS research to explore the hidden cost of lagging boomer retirement savings for family caregivers. Read here.
In case you missed it, we released a policy brief in December on how the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule advances support for family caregivers and our National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. Access that resource here.
As we head into a new year of building health, wealth, and equity for family caregivers, we are motivated by the potential for change and driven by the stories of the family caregivers in our network.
One thing is clear: family caregivers face complex challenges, but progress is within reach.
Thank you for being with us as we build a brighter future for family caregivers.
Jason
Jason Resendez
President & CEO
National Alliance for Caregiving
