NYSOFA Highlights National Family Caregivers Month with Statewide...

Resources for Caregivers Available Online

New Care Badge Initiativeto Recognize and Celebrate the Special Skills of Caregivers

Today the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) recognizes November as National Family Caregivers Month. If you routinely provide unpaid help to a friend or family member, then you are a caregiver. This can include many activities: household tasks, transportation help, assisting with medical or self-care needs, and more. NYSOFA offers caregiver programs for individuals of all ages who provide unpaid caring for someone else, including many digital resources and supports.

In New York State every year, more than 4 million caregivers are providing more than $39 billion in direct and indirect care to assist a relative, friend, or neighbor regardless of age. Understandably, caregiving can take a toll on a caregiver's physical and mental health. The ARCHANGELS Caregiver Intensity Index (CII) is being used statewide by Area Agencies on Aging for caregiver assessments, revealing the many drivers of caregiving intensity, such as family disagreements and financial stress, among other factors. According to CII data, nearly 30% of caregivers are "in the red," meaning they are experiencing the most severe caregiving burden or are in crisis.

Further, NYSOFA and the Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY) have partnered with the nation's leading caregiver education and training platform, Trualta, to offer New York residents the New York State Caregiver Portal. Thousands of New York caregivers have taken lessons or attended support groups through the Caregiver Portal, with 97% reporting they gained new skills.

New York State Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen said, "Family, friends and neighbors are unsung heroes who all too often do not get the recognition they deserve for providing care to a loved one day in and day out. NYSOFA, through our partnerships, is committed to helping caregivers recognize their importance and provide help, including in-person supports as well as tools to relieve caregiver stress, find resources, learn evidence-based best-practices, and feel empowered. Working with local organizations as well as leading national programs and initiatives, we're unwavering in our support of caregivers and the people who rely upon them."

AgingNY Executive Director Becky Preve said, "Caregivers dedicate immense time and talent to friends, families, and neighbors all across the state and the nation. The Association on Aging is proud to support and promote the amazing resources available for all caregivers in their caregiving journey. These supports display our unwavering support for caregivers, as they are vastly unrecognized for the amazing contributions that they provide."

ARCHANGELS Co-Founder and CEO Alexandra Drane said, "Think you're a caregiver? Most don't. But over 40% of us are. And we're not only showing up in all the important ways - over 30% of us are 'in the red.' Employers are paying attention, health systems are wanting to help, and communities are in the thick of it. Our partnership with New York State has proven there is a way to find and support this population - not just because they're there and could use it, but because NYSOFA has invested so tremendously in things that can actually be of service, like getting your caregiver intensity score, getting your Care Badge, and getting to resources."

Trualta Founder & CEO Jonathan Davis said, "We are thrilled to partner with NYSOFA and AgingNY to help family caregivers across New York as they navigate challenging care situations, learn new skills, and connect with other caregivers. We know that New York caregivers are stressed and likely to burn out without proper support, and we are honored to be part of the state's incredible commitment to making caregiver training and support groups available at no charge to all New Yorkers at newyork-caregivers.com."

Self-Identifying as a Caregiver

More than half of unpaid caregivers do not even self-identify as caregivers. These are family members, friends or neighbors who provide uncompensated care and support to someone else, such as a spouse, an older parent, children, or someone with chronic or other medical conditions.

To help caregivers self-identify, NYSOFA has developed a Caregivers Guide Video that summarizes the many services and supports available to caregivers in New York State.

Aging Services Programs to Help Caregivers

Area Agencies on Aging in New York State deliver more than 20 core services to help older adults age in place. These programs help caregivers by meeting older adults' social, assistive, and other community-based needs, thus relieving caregiver intensity. These services and supports include transportation, nutrition programs (home-delivered and congregate) meals, personal care, legal services, social programs (including

friendly calls or visiting programs), and more. To learn more about these programs, visit NYSOFA's website or contact NY Connects at 1-800-342-9871. NYSOFA and the aging services network also provide supports directly to caregivers, such as respite programs.

New Care Badge Initiative

NYSOFA has joined the national Care Badge initiative, which is powered by ARCHANGELS and The Joint Commission, to recognize the people providing care. The Care Badge is a visual marker that individuals can download, supporting and reinforcing the skills associated with caring and helping to build national recognition of what it means to care. Getting a badge takes four minutes - watching two short videos full of tips and resources - and the badge can be displayed on professional networking platforms like LinkedIn, resumes, social media, or elsewhere. Visit https://www.thecarebadge.com/.

Digital Tools for Caregivers

NYSOFA has partnered with leading organizations that support caregivers to provide several innovative digital tools available at no charge for any caregiver in New York State.

• Any Care Counts NY and the Caregiver Intensity Index: NYSOFA has partnered with ARCHANGELS and AgingNY to launch the Any Care Counts NY (ACC-NY) Campaign across the state. ARCHANGELS is a women-owned, omni-channel platform working to make change happen for unpaid caregivers across the nation. ARCHANGELS works with states, employers, brands, health systems, and local organizations to create impact for unpaid caregivers and their communities. As part of the platform, the ARCHANGELS Caregiver Intensity Index (CII) provides each caregiver with a score, validates their experience, and navigates them to resources offered by New York State. Caregivers not only get support in the moment, but insights are captured that support policy and advocacy efforts. The ACC-NY Campaign has reached 1.5 million New Yorkers, with thousands of unpaid caregivers finding their Intensity Score through the CII and over 25% exploring resources such as New York's Caregiver Portal and NY Connects. Of those who have gotten their Intensity Score in New York, 30% are in the "red," experiencing the highest levels of intensity. Learn more about Any Care Counts NY and get your score here.
• New York's Caregiver Portal, powered by Trualta: NYSOFA offers a New York Caregiver Portal that is available free of charge to any of the 4.1 million people who provide unpaid care to another individual. This evidence-based caregiver training and support platform, powered by Trualta, helps families build skills to manage care at home for loved ones of any age. It also connects to local resources and support services by delivering personalized education, training, and information links. Once registered, caregivers can select personalized training and track their progress on topics like self-care, stroke recovery, dementia care, medication management, and more. Users can log-in from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. The Caregiver Portal now has support groups and webinars available in Spanish.

Working Caregiver Initiative

NYSOFA, the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), and partner agencies have launched a Working Caregivers Initiative to address the unique stresses experienced by individuals who are balancing work with a caregiving role for family, friends, or neighbors.

As part of this initiative to raise awareness and support working caregivers, NYSOFA asks New Yorkers to complete a statewide survey to assess specific challenges faced by individuals in this role. NYSOFA and NYSDOL also offer a Caregivers in the Workplace Guide offering tips and resources for employers to help support working caregivers.

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