What happened on the March 7 National Caregiver Call?

March 15th, 2018

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On March 7, Caring Across held our first national caregiver call of 2018! If you were on it, you know how much fun it can be!

In case you missed it, here is a run-down of what we discussed as well as our next steps.

First, we had the pleasure of hearing from Courtney Neubauer and Barbara Kaelberer (a former caregiver herself!) of Washingtonians for a Responsible Future (WRF). They gave us the inside scoop on their work in Washington state to move a groundbreaking bill, the Long-Term Care Trust Act (LTCTA). This act is a step towards ensuring that people are able to receive the long-term care services they need without spending out of pocket into poverty.

Caregivers, like Barbara, played a pivotal role in building the momentum and pressure that allowed this bill to get as far as it did. While the fight has been deferred for this year, WRF and caregivers in Washington are keeping the people power strong to pass this bill in 2019!

The second half of our call was about getting to know one another better. We kicked off the conversation by asking:

1. What is one solution that would make a big difference in your life as a caregiver?
2. What is one adaptation you have had to make in response to the new(er) reality of caregiving in your life?

Many people expressed the need to learn how to let go of control, others expressed creative ideas they have about how to support caregivers nationwide, and everyone in the group articulated a concern about who was going to take care of them as they age (a subject we will build on during our next call).

We have a recording of the call you can check out (call starts at 10:19).

We also came up with a couple action items during our call! Please take some time to:

1. Read this short New York Times article about the Kapuna Caregiver Act and to discuss it with someone you know! Also be sure to watch this amazing update about powerful moves being made by local organizers to secure $4 million to fund the program.
2. Tune in TODAY, Tuesday, March 13th from 3-3:30 PM (ET) for a briefing with our partners at Justice in Aging to learn about how the Trump Administration’s benefit cuts in 2018 will impact seniors. It’s very easy to join, just dial (563) 999-2090 and enter the Access Code: 713662. Participants will have a chance to ask questions and there will be information about how to get involved.
3. If you have not already shared your care story with me, email me at vanessa@caringacross.org and we can set up a time to do so! Or you can share it via this form on our website.

PS — Please be on the look-out for an invitation to our next call in May! If you want to make sure you get an invite, just add your name and contact info here!