The National Alliance for Caregiving and MetLife Foundation Award Grants

The MetLife Foundation and National Alliance for Caregiving recently announced the recipients of the new Innovations in Caregiving Grants Program. Five organizations received grants to replicate family caregiver education and support programs in their local communities. The grants provide $10,000 to each organization for startup funds to adapt programs/best practices that were identified as model programs of the previous MetLife Foundation/National Alliance for Caregiving Family Caregiving Awards initiative which ran from 2006-2010.

This year's award winners are:

• Amherst H. Wilder Foundation in Saint Paul, MN for replicating Powerful Tools for Caregivers, a six-week education program that helps family caregivers of older adults to develop and practice self-care "tools" to thrive as individuals while managing caregiving responsibilities, specifically for the Hmong American community in St. Paul.
• Friends in Action, A Program of Mountain State Group of Boise, ID for replicating DARTS Workplace Eldercare Seminars, a program to enhance caregiver resourcefulness, competence and confidence as well as assist employers in providing work-life balance for caregivers.
• The Arc of King County of Seattle, WA for replicating Parent Advocacy Group, a program of regularly scheduled meetings where families of adults with developmental disabilities can learn about important issues, meet other families in similar circumstances, and receive training in advocacy for themselves and their loved one.
• ALS Association Florida Chapter of Tampa, FL for replicating Caregiver Connection Telephone Support Group, a program to meet the needs of family members caring for people with ALS. Support group facilitators will adapt an already established curriculum to add disease-specific information and coping skills needed by ALS caregivers.
• Oakland County Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers of Auburn Hills, MI for replicating Interfaith CarePartners, a program that will mobilize volunteers and resources in local congregations and the community, offering an array of direct services such as transportation, chores, housekeeping, repairs and friendly visits, as well as resources, education and support for family caregivers, including in-home respite.

The non-profit grantees are awarded $10,000 to replicate a previous award winning program from the National Family Caregiving Awards Replication Guide. To win the award, non-profit organizations competed from around the country, submitting applications on how their community would benefit from replicating one of the programs from the guidebook. They were then judged by a panel of family caregiving experts, who determined the five winning finalists.

Family caregiving has a value to society estimated at $450 billion per year--more than the value of home care and nursing care combined. At least 65 million adults provide critical care that helps friends and loved ones with debilitating illnesses remain in their homes and other community settings. An estimated 80% of all care received by older Americans is provided by family members - spouses, children, grandchildren and other relatives. Managing the competing priorities of work and family, in addition to caregiving, is stressful and costly and can exact a heavy toll, resulting in burn-out and health problems. Experts anticipate that family caregiving will grow in the decades ahead.

And providers play a role in helping our nation's caregivers.

Learn more ~ or join the conversation!

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National Alliance for Caregiving