Every day we see clients who have been thrust into the role of caring for an ailing spouse, aging parent, or other loved one.  It is estimated that family caregivers provide 37 billion hours of unpaid labor every year, often while juggling full time jobs and caring for their own families.

In January, the RAISE Act was signed in to law.  This act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to create an advisory council to develop a blueprint for supporting family caregivers.  While this bill has not been fully implemented at the federal level, the good news is that many states, including Oregon, already have similar laws on the books.

To read more about what some caregivers support and training programs look like, check out this article from NPR and Kaiser Health News.  You can review the relevant Oregon legislation here.  Be sure to talk to your loved-one’s doctors to find out about care provider training and support that may be available to you.