Caregiving

By Susannah Nesmith

Updated June 10, 2016:

Caregivers throughout the Bay Area last month assembled for the inaugural Florida Caregiver Conference, a two-day event that focused on emerging caregiving products and services, planning education for caregivers and coaching caregivers how to care themselves.

Today, volunteers and staff from Florida were on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of AARP members and all older Americans on the crucial issues of Family Caregiving and Social Security. While meeting with members of Congress, these volunteers and staff have carried crucial asks:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Florida Department of Elder Affairs will prioritize need for the state’s residents on its wait lists for home and community-based long-term care (HCBS) services, according to a law (House Bill 1335) signed by Gov. Rick Scott on Friday.

Back around the holidays, you may have seen the Christmas commercial put out by the German grocer EDEKA - it's gotten 46 million views to date, and it's a bigger tear-jerker than even the holiday commercials put out by my home-state Publix. If you haven't seen it, grab a tissue, and watch it (it's embedded below). Then I'll tell you why I think it's a dramatic illustration of three major issues we in America have to address together, and soon.

TALLAHASSEE -- Across Florida, almost 2.7 million Floridians perform a labor of love, caring for older parents, spouses and other loved ones so they can stay at home—where they want to be—and out of costly institutions. It’s often more than a full-time job, and for millions of these caregivers, the responsibilities are overwhelming.

News From AARP and the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. – November marks National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize the 40 million Americans – including more than 2.7 million from Florida – who help older parents, spouses, and other loved ones live independently at home, where they want to be.

Are you one of the 2.8 million Floridians caring for a parent or loved one? If you said “yes” then you’ll want to participate in AARP’s Virtual Family Caregiving Fair on Nov. 19.