America’s growing caregiving crisis

In response to August 18 Article: America’s growing caregiving crisis, one in four Louisianans care for a child or adult with disabilities or an older adult in their home. It is estimated that 917,000 adults are caregivers in this state, providing more than 600 million hours of care each year that is valued at over $5.7 billion!

The average caregiver in our state is a middle-aged working woman who is caring for their aging mother in the home. When you consider that 10,000 individuals turn 65 every day in the U.S., this role will only increase.

To help caregivers with this increasing role, the Louisiana Lifespan Respite Coalition, a volunteer network of patient organizations and non-profits, has been meeting this year to improve supports for families.

The Louisiana Lifespan Respite Coalition hopes to take the first step in better coordinating existing respite programs, identifying service gaps, and improving access to services for those caring for children or adults with special needs. Proposing legislative remedies and developing online and other resources by which caregivers can find respite programs that meet their needs are tasks the coalition intends to tackle.

–Kelly Viator
Coalition Chair

This article originally published in the August 26, 2013 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.