Families are the major providers of long term care in the United States.
The Assistant Secretary will explain the Administration's proposed National Family Caregiver Support Program and the opportunities it presents for serving family caregivers of older adults. If fully funded and enacted by Congress, the District of Columbia would receive more than one-half million dollars for family caregiver support and services, which will enable caregivers to receive assistance, training, counseling and respite needed to cope with daily challenges. The program represents a first step in the creation of a national long-term care policy and is part of the Administration's proposal to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, currently being considered by Congress. Thousands of older citizens and their families in the District of Columbia benefit from supportive home and community-based services created through the Older Americans Act.