Family Caregiver Network - A New Initiative Focused on a Persistent Issue
The new initiative recently selected by the board members of the Community Foundation of Western Nevada is the Family Caregiver Support Network. The board made this selection after learning about the needs from Grady Tarbutton, recently retired Director of Washoe County Senior Services. This need is not one that is often spoken about but is one that is, or will, affect virtually every one of us.
There are 91,124 residents over the age of 60 in Washoe County, making up 20% of the county’s total population. According to the 2013 survey of Washoe County Seniors, 9% of those ages 60 and over serve as an unpaid family caregiver by assisting with bathing, dressing, toileting, medication administration, and other personal needs. Based on this study, approximately 8,200 seniors serve as an unpaid caregiver to a loved one. While many seniors provide care to other seniors, younger populations also serve as caregivers. Washoe County Senior Services identified that family caregivers to seniors are diverse in age and employment status. The ages of family caregivers range from 18 – 80 years old.
Caregivers often face significant social isolation, stress, and fatigue. They frequently have difficulty finding, understanding, and managing the complex array of services that support senior in the home. More specifically, the top needs of family caregivers typically include education and training, peer support, respite care, workforce needs, and prescription management. Some family caregivers are forced to leave their job to care for their loved one. About one-third of caregivers who provide assistance to a loved one between 60 and 69 years old report needing financial support, housekeeping, and emotional care.
Within the field of family caregiving, women typically face more challenges. Two-thirds of family caregivers are women. Women usually live longer than men and often outlive their husbands. According to a Metlife Study, women face a variety of challenges with their career due to becoming a caregiver:
- 33% of working women decreased work hours
- 29% passed up a job promotion, training or assignment
- 22% took a leave of absence
- 20% switched from full-time to part-time employment
- 16% quit their jobs
- 13% retired early