This month’s blog post offers insight into Community Care Corps’ alignment with the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. Check out the blog post to learn more about the roadmap developed to improve services and supports for family caregivers and how our grantees work each day to support this mission. Haven’t read our blog lately? Catch up on previous blog posts here!

A recent Health Affairs article examines the prevalence of disparities among people with disabilities by race, ethnicity and sexual orientation and further, explores health disparities for people living with disabilities that intersect with other forms of marginalization. Although there have been ADA provisions to attempt to eliminate barriers to health care for those living with disabilities, there are still systemic factors contributing to inequity in health access among these groups. Due to this continued disparity, there is a need for evidence-based policy changes to advance equity and opportunity for Americans living with disabilities.

A recent study has found that depression in adult caregivers may be mostly due to a loved one experiencing a serious health problem, while becoming a caregiver is associated with fewer depressive symptoms. In this study, researchers followed a group of adult children with a living mother and tracked their mental health as their mother’s health declined. The study found no significant relationship between becoming a caregiver and elevated depressive symptoms. Similar findings were found in a study by the same researcher, amongst spouses. Findings suggest that although caregiving is a stressful experience, it may be one that makes you more resilient. More research is needed to investigate the complex relationship between caregiving and mental health.

• Strengthening Cultural Responsiveness in Intergenerational Programs:
  Generations United released a report highlighting the innovative ways organizations across the U.S. are combatting systemic racism by prioritizing both the voices and the lived experiences of diverse staff and participants into their practices. The report presents data, interviews and various program examples organized into five recommendations for strengthening culturally responsive intergenerational programming.
• Home Repair and Modification Action Guides:
  The Housing and Services Resource Center, administrated by USAging and funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, has released two new action guides that outline approaches for organizations seeking to build partnerships to conduct home modifications, repairs and weatherization services as well as promoting home modifications to support community living.
  • Partnering to Expand Access to Home Modifications, Repairs, and Weatherization for Community Living
  • The Power of Cross-Sector Partnerships to Advance Home Modifications
• Transportation Equity Briefs:
  The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) has embarked on an initiative to highlight transportation challenges that specifically impact historically marginalized and underserved older adults, people living with disabilities and caregivers. These Equity Briefs are produced from the learnings derived from a 2021 Transportation DEI Survey along with various focus groups and stakeholder meetings.
  • Caregivers and Transportation
  • DEI in Transportation: Looking for Common Understanding
  • Inclusive Transportation Planning: Engaging Marginalized and Underserved Communities
  • Inclusive Transportation Planning: Importance of Partnerships

Our grantees have begun producing videos showcasing the value and impact of the volunteer models they plan to implement in their local communities. Visit the Community Care Corps Vimeo page to stay up to date with their work!

• Key Steps Congress Can Take to Help Caregivers’ Finances (The Hill, January 1, 2024)
• Volunteer Work Can Improve Your Physical And Mental Health In Retirement (Forbes, December 30, 2023)
• How to Care for a Caregiver (Next Avenue, December 26, 2023)
• The Checklist – Part of Aging Together in New York (WLIW-FM, December 21, 2023)
• Five Ways To Build A Caregiving Friendly Culture In Your Workplace (Forbes, December 20, 2023)
• Need Help? Ask An Older American (The Washington Post, December 20, 2023)
• The Health Benefits of Volunteering (Medical Xpress, December 9, 2023)

• Webinar: Elder Financial Exploitation: What Aging Services Professionals Need to Know (American Society on Aging, January 24, 2024 at 1:00 PM ET)
• Webinar: Expanding Access To Service Coordination: Two Models Of Braiding Funding (Housing and Services Resource Center, January 31, 2024)
• Webinar: Finding the Way in Dementia Care: Use of Care Navigators for People Living with Dementia and their Caregivers (National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center February 6, 2024)