| A caregiver is used to refer to unpaid relatives or | | | | twice as much as is actually spent on homecare and |
| friends who support veterans with disabilities. The | | | | nursing home services combined ($158 billion). |
| accepted definition of a caregiver is: "Someone | | | | Stress associated with unsupported care of |
| whose life is in some way restricted by the need to | | | | chronically ill family members may result in a condition |
| be responsible for the care of someone who is | | | | commonly referred as caregiver's syndrome. In the |
| mentally ill, mentally handicapped, physically disabled or | | | | US about 50 million people are caregivers and without |
| whose health is impaired by sickness or old age" | | | | them our loved ones would be require permanent |
| Most caregivers feel positive about their experiences | | | | placement in institutions or health care facilities at a |
| than they did before they took on the responsibility. | | | | greater cost to society. The physical, emotional and |
| This was concluded in a 2007 survey on family | | | | financial consequences for family caregivers can be |
| caregivers. | | | | overwhelming without support. Until 2009 there was |
| Often caregivers are burdened by high out-of-pocket | | | | support, but not to any great extent for caregivers |
| costs in caring for an individual, but: | | | | could get to help them in supporting veterans. |
| 1. 60% called the experience very or extremely | | | | In 2009 the Senate passed the Veterans and |
| rewarding | | | | Caregivers Support Bill with a vote of 98-0. The |
| 2. 54% formed a strong bond with the individual they | | | | Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Services Act of |
| were rendering care for | | | | 2009 contain provisions to provide: |
| 3. 60% reported improvement in the quality of their | | | | 1. Caregivers assistance to wounded veterans |
| relationships with the person they were caring for. | | | | 2. telecommunications with VA doctors and specialists |
| 4. 68.7% said they enjoyed the tasks associated | | | | for wounded veterans in rural areas |
| with care giving | | | | 3. Travel benefits for caregivers to travel to the |
| 5. The amount of satisfaction was directly related to | | | | veterans hospital or rehab center |
| the type of disease from which the care recipient | | | | 4. Caregiver education, training and counseling |
| suffers. | | | | 5. Oversite of caregivers via home visits |
| More then ¾ of all caregivers are female and range | | | | 6. Reprise caregiving services |
| in age 35-59. The other ¼ of all male caregivers are | | | | 7. National survey of Family Caregivers |
| 60 and older. More then 50 million people provide care | | | | The main focus on the bill is to provide better care |
| for chronically ill, disabled or aged family members | | | | for both veterans who have been wounded while |
| during any given year. Thirty percent of family care | | | | serving since September 11, 2001, and the caregivers. |
| givers for seniors are themselves aged 65 or over. | | | | As medical technology in combat has advanced, more |
| Caregivers, no matter what the age offer | | | | soldiers are surviving after losing limbs or having |
| companionship, conversation, meal preparation, light | | | | serious injuries, but require ongoing care, for many |
| housekeeping, general assistance, personal care and | | | | for the rest of their lives. |
| sitter services just to name a few of the services. | | | | There are also federal recovery coordinators, who |
| The value of the services caregivers provide "free" is | | | | can help caregivers make sense of the military's |
| estimated to be over $306 billion a year and that is | | | | medical resources. |