FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/05/2021
Contact: Christine Perez
Company: National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA)
Phone: 202-347-9733
Email: events@nhcoa.org
Web: www.nhcoa.org
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @NHCOA
Washington, D.C. – The National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) continues developing innovative ways to engage, inform and listen to the communities we serve. For 52 years, NHCOA has worked to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families, and caregivers. Even during a pandemic, we will continue to work towards that mission.
Nearly 43.5 million adults in the United States are unpaid caregivers for a friend or family member. These family caregivers provide crucial health services to their family members or friends and are considered by many to be front-line health service providers, and during a pandemic they assist with alleviating stress on an already taxed healthcare system. In 2013, the economic value of services provided by family caregivers was estimated to be 470 billion dollars.
Caring for a loved one is no small task; absent a pandemic, caregiving causes stress and depression. Caregiving can affect a caregiver’s emotional well-being, finances, and routine social activities. Most family caregivers often feel unprepared for their roles. During a pandemic, caring for a loved one brings a whole new set of challenges. Guidelines recommend limiting visitations with people outside of your own household, making it particularly difficult for caregivers who do not live with those they care for. Caregivers not only have to protect their loved ones from COVID-19, but they also must protect themselves to ensure that they can continue to care for their loved ones and to ensure they will not pass on the dangerous COVID-19 virus. During the pandemic, caregiver burnout is at an all-time high. While many communities offer support services for family caregivers, many of these resources are stretched thin or have been cut because of COVID-19, leaving caregivers on the brink of burnout.
In partnership with AARP, the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Diverse Elders Coalition, NHCOA will host its fourth COVID-19 webinar: Caring for a loved one during the pandemic.
The Caregiving During a Pandemic Webinar provides an open space for communities to engage in education and ask questions of leaders in the field. It will be held in English on Tuesday, April 6th from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (EST). To register for this town hall, please use this link:
https://bit.ly/37Mvx2i
“COVID-19 has disproportionally affected U.S. Hispanic communities and Hispanic caregivers have the highest reported prevalence of caregiving at 21%. Family caregivers play a vital role during this pandemic, but we must also ensure their wellbeing in these trying times. We have talked to Latino caregivers and they have expressed the following challenges—emotional stress, economic stress, and decreased routine health care options. It is up to us to find solutions to ensure they receive the support they need to care for their loved ones during COVID-19. During our webinar, we will hear from experts on long distance caregiving, how caregiving differs between the US and Latin America and resources that are available for caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” states Dr. Yanira Cruz, President and CEO of NHCOA.
This webinar will provide an open space for communities to engage in education and ask questions of leaders in the field. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at c.perez@nhcoa.org or at 202-347-9733.This townhall will bring together older adults, community leaders, caregivers, organizational leaders, policy makers, providers, and stakeholders to ensure questions and concerns around caregiving are addressed in an attentive, receptive and culturally sensitive environment.
Sponsors
NHCOA´s Caregiving During a Pandemic Webinar could not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors the John A. Hartford Foundation, Diverse Elders Coalition, National Alliance on Caregiving, Lilly, AbbVie, PhRMA, CDC Foundation, UnitedHealthcare, and Pfizer Foundation.
About the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA): NHCOA is the leading national organization working to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families, and their caregivers. Headquartered in Washington, DC, NHCOA has been a strong voice dedicated to promoting, educating, and advocating for research, policy, and practice in the areas of economic security, health, and housing for Hispanic older adults, families, and caregivers for more than 50 years.
For more information about NHCOA call 202-347-9733 or visit www.NHCOA.org.
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