Margaret is a mom with two teenagers at home, a husband, and a full time job. Her mother Sadie lives alone on a limited income in an adjacent town. Margaret checks in on her every day, and is always on call for transportation to doctor’s appointments, help with bills, and groceries. Margaret is a family caregiver, one of nearly 35 million Americans providing unpaid care to an older adult.
A new paper by Justice in Aging, Advocacy Starts at Home: Strengthening Supports for Low-Income Older Adults and Caregivers, and accompanying video outline the challenges Margaret faces in helping her mother age safely at home in dignity.
As the population ages and the prevalence of cognitive disorders among older adults increases, policymakers and the media are paying more attention to the challenges of caregiving. These challenges are even more acute for low-income older adults and their families.
That’s why we’ve released this paper now, with the support of the Albert and Elaine Borchard Center on Law and Aging, to make recommendations for policy changes and expanded programs to better serve everyone, but especially low-income older adults and their caregivers.
Download the paper, view the video, read the blog post, and access other materials on family caregivers here.