NEWS

Summit Attendees: “We Need More Effective Caregiver Support Programs”

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) recently hosted a national caregiving conference which was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. The conference revealed an urgent need to assist community agencies and providers of caregiver support services in adopting more effective programs.

“There’s a huge gap between what we know works and what is currently being done to support caregivers in most communities” said Dr. Richard Birkel, Executive Director of the RCI.

Titled, “Moving Science to Practice in Caregiver Support: a National Summit,” the October 25 & 26 conference brought nationally known caregiving researchers into dialog with agency representatives, healthcare administrators, direct care workers, government representatives, funders, students, and caregivers.

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter kicked off the summit by summing up the “caregiving crisis” in America. “I am concerned that the best programs developed to help caregivers are not being implemented in every community,” she said. “I know we can do better…so I will be excited to hear the recommendations made at the end of the conference.”

The long-term goal is for community agencies, hospitals, and other groups serving caregivers to adopt programs that have been proven effective through research. On the first conference day, researchers presented a review of evidence-based programs in Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Rural Caregiving and Transition Care to the 250 attendees. During the second day, work groups met to craft recommendations for moving these programs into the real world to help caregivers. The conference attendees generated a set of recommendations that will serve as a “blueprint” for the National Quality Care Network, being launched by RCI for the purpose of bridging science and practice in the field of caregiving.

Conference attendees came to Georgia Southwestern State University from 30 states and Ireland. They represented scientists and providers who serve caregivers dealing with many conditions, including aging, dementia, cancer, disabilities, rural settings, and transition care.