A new joint initiative between PHI and the National Alliance for Caregiving aims to increase awareness of the challenges direct care workers and family caregivers face, and strengthen the bond between the two.
“Together, direct care workers and family caregivers form the backbone of our long-term care system, providing essential support to millions of older adults and people with disabilities,” Jodi M. Sturgeon, president and CEO at PHI, said in a statement. “Their critical connection frequently goes unrecognized, which hinders the full potential of this partnership in providing high-quality, person-centered care.”
Funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation, this initiative has the goal of drawing attention to the policy barriers, research needs and workforce interventions “that can elevate the vital relationship between these caregivers, creating a more sustainable long-term care system,” according to the foundation.
The joint initiative will focus on four key policy areas to support direct care workers and family caregivers:
- Promoting care integration. The organizations will advocate for integrating direct care workers and family caregivers into care teams.
- Expanding access to consumer direction. The initiative supports policies that empower individuals and their families to have greater decision-making over their care.
- Strengthening matching service registries. The organizations support developing more online platforms that connect individuals and their families with paid caregivers.
- Investing in research to develop targeted interventions and policies.
The joint initiative follows the Department of Health and Human Services’ first national strategy to support families, unveiled a year ago. The affected family caregivers, according to a 102-page overview and description of the strategy, include those who support “[p]eople who live in nursing homes, board-and-care, and assisted living facilities, and other residential care communities.” The family caregivers, the document noted, provide assistance for residents to “maintain their health, safety, welfare, and well-being.”
