The National Alliance for Caregiving joins with the entire caregiving advocacy community in mourning the passing of our founder, Gail Gibson Hunt, who died peacefully at her home on January 13th.
Her vision and passion shaped caregiving, here in the U.S. and abroad. Gail founded the National Alliance for Caregiving in 1996 as a way to address and meet the needs of caregivers in an aging America. Under her leadership, a group of national organizations worked together to create a new association that could address the public policy needs of families and quantify the impact of one of the largest unpaid workforces in our society. Gail brought the organization from its humble beginnings to the position of national powerhouse and global expert. Beginning with the 1997 ground-breaking research study, Caregiving in the U.S., conducted in partnership with AARP, Gail made sure NAC played a pivotal role in shaping public policy for family caregivers and those in their care. During her tenure as president and CEO, she expanded NAC’s work beyond aging-related eldercare issues to include new research on the economic impact of caregiving, the business case for supporting family responsibilities in the workplace, children as caregivers, and new disease-specific work in multiple sclerosis, diabetes, mental health, rare disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Gail believed in partnerships as a way to advance and improve the quality of life for friend and family caregivers and those in their care. Whether it was through collaborations with NAC members; national organizations in aging, disabilities or caregiving; or international carer groups, she worked tirelessly to develop and share knowledge, understand best practices, advocate for effective public policies, and foster innovations in the way caregivers were recognized and given a voice.
Gail was committed to making sure the voices of caregivers were heard and considered – and for that leadership, for the path she carved, we honor and pay tribute to her.
Gail’s family is planning a Celebration of Life to be held in April and has created an In Memory webpage where Gail’s colleagues and friends can read about her life, monitor the planning of that event, and register to attend.
To read more about Gail’s NAC legacy, or view the gallery from her 2018 retirement gala, please visit here. To leave a message of condolence for her family or share thoughts about Gail’s leadership and commitment to caregiving, please go here.
