Department of Health
and Human Services
Administration on Aging
About the NFCSP
National Family Caregiver Support Program Executive Summary |
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Introduction
The aging of the U.S. population has heightened interest in designing efficient and effective systems for delivering health and related services to older people. Developing service networks to provide older people and their caregivers with a continuum of home- and community-based long-term care has become especially important, in order to better meet their support needs and preferences for independence.
Family caregivers provide the vast majority of the assistance that enables older people to live independently in their homes and communities. Caregivers include grandparents raising grandchildren, as well as those who help older Americans. In many cases, both the caregivers and care recipients are aging adults. Many are women. Family caregivers face substantial stresses and burdens as a consequence of caregiving obligations. Prolonged caregiving can adversely affect one’s physical and psychological health, current and future employment status and earning capability, ability to balance the needs of older parents and younger family members, and the ability to meet personal needs. Because caregivers play such an important role, services that sustain a caregiver’s role and maintain their emotional and physical health are an important component of any home and community-based care system.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) was authorized by the Older Americans Act of 2000, and is based in large part on successful programs and the needs expressed by family caregivers in discussions held across the country. This report highlights the significant progress made in states, tribes and communities across the country in implementing the NFCSP. The following sections will highlight how the National Aging Services Network has served our nation’s family caregivers, under the leadership of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration on Aging, and points to future program and policy opportunities to build upon this base of support.
Download entire NFCSP
Executive Summary (3.8 MB - PDF)