These goals would require development of a training package with modules for various audiences, including a caregiver module that can be used as a stand-alone patient education curriculum or by training publicly funded service providers. Work on respite care models and outreach to caregivers of those diagnosed with Alzheimers caregivers is currently proceeding with a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging to the Minnesota Board on Aging in partnerships with the Minnesota-Dakotas Chapter of the Alzheimers Association. Caregiver support staff at MBA would be funded by the reauthorized Older Americans Act. This person s duties would include development, maintenance and delivery of the training packages. If the family is the provider chosen in the cash options under the AC program Where culturally competent staff is not available.
Family caregivers provide the vast majority of care needed by frail elderly in the state.
Public payment of these caregivers is in most cases not allowed, because of the major implications it raises regarding the obligation of families to provide nonpaid and voluntary care for each other, not to mention the enormous cost to society if all family care were paid. In some instances, however, there may be reasons to pay family caregivers to provide care to their older relatives. The state already has the authority to approve hardship waivers that allow families to be paid to provide care in specific cases. The hardship waivers available need to be understood by those who work with family caregivers and their older relatives. There are hardship waivers in place to allow reimbursement for family care providers in all the situations listed in this strategy, except federally funded foster care.