https://youtu.be/UEc0kABTw0s?si=kQZKg3TaZs7npvm8
Description:
In April 2020, Resources for Integrated Care (RIC) held a highly attended webinar on supporting caregivers of older adults through times of stress and isolation. Due to continued interest in this topic, the July 2020 panel discussion offers additional information in response to audience questions. RIC also encourages you to view the recording of the April 2020 event, along with the accompanying Resource Guide.
Over 34 million individuals in the United States provide unpaid care for an older adult,1 including many individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. The emotional, physical, and financial impact of caregiving can lead caregivers to experience stress, depression, anxiety, and other health problems.2 The COVID-19 emergency continues to raise additional challenges and uncertainties for caregivers of older adults. Providers and health plan staff can play key roles in supporting caregivers, particularly during this time when caregivers may be experiencing increased stress and isolation.
Topics discussed by the panel include strategies for supporting caregivers of older adults with depression; assisting caregivers who live apart from their loved ones, including those in rural areas; addressing caregiver grief; and strategies for engaging caregivers virtually. By the end of this panel discussion, participants should be able to:
- Identify strategies for addressing depression and managing emotional health for caregivers and care recipients
- Identify strategies for caregivers and their families to cope with the stress of uncertainty and transitions during this public health emergency
- Describe ways to identify community resources available for caregivers and their families
Featured Speakers:
- Kathy Kelly, MPA; Executive Director, Family Caregiver Alliance
- Erin E. Emery-Tiburcio, PhD, ABPP; Associate Professor of Geriatric and Rehabilitation Psychology and Geriatric Medicine and Co-Director of the Center for Excellence in Aging Rush University Medical Center
- Bryan Godfrey, MA, MSW, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker, UNC Geriatrics Clinic
Intended Audience:
This panel discussion is intended for a wide range of stakeholders, including frontline workers; staff at health plans, including Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs), Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), and managed LTSS plans; and other health care and community-based organizations who are interested in strategies and programs for supporting caregivers of older adults.
[1] National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP Public Policy Institute. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2015/caregiving-in-the-united-states-2015-report-revised.pdf.
[2] Family Caregiver Alliance. (2016). Depression and Caregiving. Retrieved from https://www.caregiver.org/depression-and-caregiving.