U. S.

Depar t ment of Heal t h and Human Ser vi ces

Admi ni st r at i on on Agi ng
Working to
Build
the Future of
Long-Term
Care
Empowering
adults as they age
with reliable
information and
access to the care
they need
Enabling
individuals who are
at high risk of
nursing home
placement to
remain at home
Building disease
prevention into
community living
through the use of
Background on Family
Caregiving
Families, not social service
agencies, nursing homes or
government programs, are the
mainstay underpinning long
term care !"#$ for older and
disabled persons in the United
States. %ore than && million
persons are informal caregivers
' providing unpaid help to
persons who live in the
community and have at least
one limitation on their activities
of daily living. "hese caregivers
include spouses, adult children,
and other relatives and friends.
"he degree of caregiver
involvement has remained fairly
constant for more than a
decade, bearing witness to the
remarkable resilience of the
American family in taking care
of its older persons. "his is
despite increased geographic
separation, greater numbers of
women in the workforce, and
other changes in family life.
"hus, family caregiving has
been a blessing in many
respects. (t has been a budget)
saver to governments faced
National Family Caregiver
Support Program
annually with the challenge of
covering the health and long term
care e*penses of persons who are
ill and have chronic disabilities.
"he economic value of our
nation+s family and informal
caregivers has been estimated at
,-./ billion annually.
The National Family
Caregiving upport
!rogram
"he enactment of the 0lder
Americans Act Amendments of
1... established an important
new program, the
2ational Family #aregiver Support
3rogram 2F#S3$. "he program
calls for all states, working in
partnership with area agencies on
aging and local community)
service providers to have 4ve
basic services for family
caregivers.
"hese services include5
(nformation to caregivers
about available services6
Assistance to caregivers in
gaining access to services6
(ndividual counseling,
organi7ation of support groups,
and caregiver training to
3age 1 8orking to 9uild
the Future of !ong "erm #are
For "ore #nformation
AoA recogni7es the importance of making information readily available to consumers,
professionals, researchers, and students. 0ur website provides information for and about older
persons, their families, and professionals involved in aging programs and services. For more
information about AoA, please contact5 US Dept of Health and Human Services, Administration on
Aging, 8ashington, D# 1.1.:6 phone 1.1$ /:;).<1&6 fa* 1.1$ -=<)-=1-6 >mail5
aoainfo?aoa.gov or contact our website at www.aoa.gov Administration on Aging @ Fact Sheet September 1..<
(mplementation of the 2F#S3 has resulted in
new partnerships, improved access to
services, outreach to special populations,
and provision of services to respond to the
uniAue needs of families.
Eligible !opulation$
Family caregivers of older adults, age /.
years or older6
#aregivers of a person with Al7heimer+s
disease or a related disorder regardless
of age$6
Brandparents and relative caregivers,
age == years or older, of children no
older than age :C6
Delative caregivers, age == years or
older, of an adult child aged :;)=;, with
a disability not including natural or
adoptive parents$.
"he statute reAuires states to give priority
consideration to5
3ersons in greatest social and economic
need with particular attention to low)
income individuals$6 and
0lder individuals providing care and
support to persons with severe
disabilities, including children with severe
disabilities.
%ther #mportant Feature$
(n addition to the formula grants, state and
area agencies on aging, nonpro4t
Also, nearly ,= million in grants were
awarded to tribal organi7ations
in September 1..: to provide
families of 2ative American and
2ative Hawaiian elders with
access to information, respite
care, counseling, training, and
supplemental services to help
them meet their real)life
caregiving challenges. "his new
program supporting caregivers
of 2ative Americans received
,/.- million for Fiscal Eear 1..<.
The National &ging ervice$
Network
Under the authority of the 0lder Americans
Act, AoA works closely with the 2ational
Aging Services 2etwork of federal, state,
and local organi7ations to plan, coordinate,
and provide home) and community)based
services to meet the uniAue needs of older
persons and their caregivers.
Who to Contact for 'elp
AoA supports a nationwide, toll free
information and assistance directory and
website called the >ldercare !ocator, which
can connect older persons and their
caregivers with the 2ational Aging Services
2etwork. 0lder persons and caregivers can
call the >ldercare !ocator toll free at :)C..)