Caregiving in America - The 24/7 Caregiver

Next Avenue has produced a special report presented by The John A. Hartford Foundation on "Caregiving in America: The 24/7 Caregiver."

Caregiving is a key cornerstone to a healthy society and a pinnacle of quality care. As the nation's population ages, informal and formal caregivers have become even more essential. Next Avenue's new special report, Caregiving in America: The 24/7 Caregiver, calls attention to diverse caregivers and their needs, explores what an inclusive, comprehensive space for caregivers looks like, and elevates dialogues focused on the heart of caregiving.

One of the special report's initial articles, "The Need for Mental Health Support for Caregiving Grandparents," is a call to action to support grandparents in their mental health needs and emotional burdens of caregiving. The article reports on a new Journal of Aging and Mental Health study that emphasizes that the mental well-being of grandparent caregivers is a critical but ignored issue. Author Sophie Okolo talks about the findings and about her personal experience, and she discusses the need to encourage grandparent caregivers to seek help and points to available community mental health services. The sentiment is reflected across other articles in the special report, where each delves into divergent caregiver burdens, such as gender roles and cultural burdens, while keeping the core message of recognizing caregivers as key members of society.

Visit The John A. Hartford Foundation website for complete information.