November 18, 2020 1

FAMILY CAREGIVING ADVISORY COUNCIL

FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Adopted November 18, 2020

On November 18, 2020, the Family Caregiving Advisory Council adopted twenty-six 

recommendations aimed at establishing a national approach to addressing the needs of 

family caregivers of all ages and circumstance. The following recommendations grew 

out of months of discussion, examination of relevant data and information and the input 

of family caregivers and stakeholders alike. They address critical priority areas including 

awareness and outreach to family caregivers and their engagement as key partners in 

healthcare delivery and long-term services and supports; strengthening communitybased supports for family caregivers; ensuring workplace and financial security for 

family caregivers; and greater focus on data, research and the development of 

evidence-informed supports for family caregivers. 

These recommendations will be included in the Council’s initial Report to Congress in 

2021 and serve as the foundation for the National Family Caregiving Strategy that will 

begin development next year. The Strategy will outline critical actions that can be taken 

at the federal, state levels, by local communities as well as health, long-term services 

providers and others to better support family caregivers in ways that reflect their diverse 

needs. The Strategy will focus on areas such as person and family-centered care; 

assessment and service planning; information, education and training supports; respite 

options; and financial and workplace security issues. The Strategy will provide a 

roadmap for the nation to strengthen its support and recognition of the critical role family 

caregivers’ play in our healthcare and long-term support systems.
November 18, 2020 2

Awareness and Outreach for Family Caregivers

Goal 1: Family caregivers’ physical, emotional, and financial well-being will improve as 

a result of expanded awareness, outreach, and education.

Recommendation 1.1: Increase public awareness and recognition of the diverse 

needs, issues, and challenges family caregivers face and of the importance of 

recognizing and supporting them.

Recommendation 1.2: Increase family caregivers’ self-identification and 

awareness of, and access to, information, services, and supports across a range 

of topics.

Recommendation 1.3 Improve outreach efforts to family caregivers to ensure 

early identification and access to services and supports.

Recommendation 1.4: Support the development, or revision of, state, territorial, 

Tribal and local planning that focuses specifically on recognizing, including, and 

supporting family caregivers of all ages and is aligned with the National Family 

Caregiving Strategy.

Recommendation 1.5: Promote the expansion and role of public/private 

partnerships at all levels that recognize, assist, include, support and engage 

family caregivers. 
November 18, 2020 3

Engagement of Family Caregivers as Partners in Healthcare and Long-Term 

Services and Supports

Goal 2: Family caregivers are recognized, engaged, and supported as key partners with 

providers of healthcare and long-term services and supports.

Recommendation 2.1: Ensure the impact of policy and practices on family 

caregivers are studied and understood before changes are made in healthcare 

systems.

Recommendation 2.2: Identify and include family caregivers as essential 

members and partners in the care recipient’s care team. 

Recommendation 2.3: Engage family caregivers through the use of evidencesupported and culturally sensitive family caregiver assessments to determine the 

willingness, ability, and needs of family caregivers to provide support.

Recommendation 2.4: Increase the integration of care through the inclusion of 

family caregivers in all relevant care coordination and transitions across 

providers and settings and when desired by both caregiver and care recipient. 

Recommendation 2.5: Strengthen the training of healthcare, social service, and 

allied professionals to maximize family caregiver engagement and referrals to 

services in the community.
November 18, 2020 4

Services and Supports for Family Caregivers

Goal 3: Family caregiver have access to an array of flexible person- and familycentered programs, supports, goods and services that meet the diverse and dynamic 

needs of family caregivers and care recipients.

Recommendation 3.1: Increase access to meaningful and culturally relevant 

information, services, and supports for family caregivers. 

Recommendation 3.2: Increase the availability of high-quality, settingappropriate, and caregiver-defined respite services to give caregivers a healthy 

and meaningful break from their responsibilities.

Recommendation 3.3: Increase the availability of diverse counseling, training, 

peer support, and education opportunities for family caregivers, including 

evidence-informed interventions.

Recommendation 3.4: Expand caregiver support programs and services that 

maintain the health and independence of families by increasing access to 

housing, safe living accommodations, food, and transportation, and by reducing 

social isolation.

Recommendation 3.5: Encourage use of technology solutions as a means of 

supporting family caregivers.

Recommendation 3.6: Expand the use of vetted volunteers and volunteerism as 

a means of supporting family caregivers. 

Recommendation 3.7: Improve the support of family caregivers during 

emergencies (e.g., pandemics, natural/manmade disasters).

Recommendation 3.8: Increase the prevalence and use of future planning as a 

means for ensuring family members have the needed supports in place 

throughout the care recipient’s life.

Recommendation 3.9: Increase and strengthen the paid LTSS and direct 

support workforce.
November 18, 2020 5

Financial and Workplace Security for Family Caregivers

Goal 4: Family caregivers’ lifetime financial and employment security is protected and 

enhanced. 

Recommendation 4.1: Decrease the negative financial impacts for family 

caregivers on both a short- and long-term basis.

Recommendation 4.2- Advance the development and broad adoption of 

employee-centered flexible workplace policies and practices that support 

work/life balance and maintain performance when personal circumstances 

change.

Recommendation 4.3: Increase the availability, and use of, financial education 

and planning tools for family caregivers.

Recommendation 4.4: Improve the affordability of long-term services and 

supports and reduce out-of-pocket costs for families through public and private 

payers.
November 18, 2020 6

Research, Data, and Evidence-Informed Practices

Goal 5: Family caregivers are engaged stakeholders in a national research and data 

gathering infrastructure that documents their experiences, translates evidence into best 

practices, develops person- and family-centered interventions, and measures progress 

toward the National Family Caregiver Strategy.

Recommendation 5.1: Establish a national infrastructure using 

standardized data, questions, and a definition of “family caregiver” for obtaining,

analyzing, and disseminating information about caregivers and their experiences.

Recommendation 5.2: Increase family caregiver research that facilitates the 

development and delivery of programs and services that support and enhance 

the health and well-being of the caregiver and care recipient.

Recommendation 5.3: Increase the promotion, translation, and dissemination of 

promising and evidence-supported practices to support family caregivers in the 

delivery of healthcare and long-term services and supports.