The Family Caregiver Alliance was founded in 1977 as the first community-based nonprofit organization in the United States to address the needs of families and friends providing long-term care for elders and others with chronic conditions who live at home. FCA now offers programs at national, state and local levels to support and sustain caregivers. FCA executive director Kathleen Kelly gives us an overview of the organization’s programs and accomplishments -- and highlights its role in promoting and supporting caregiver coalitions at the national and state levels. Read More >>

For many, caregiving is a journey into uncharted waters. They’re not sure where they’re going, what they need to take with them or even if they want to make the trip. To make the journey smoother, caregiving coalitions are springing up around the United States. One such coalition, the Wisconsin Alliance for Family Caregiving, took root eight years ago. It began as a handful of educators teaching a curriculum called “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” -- and quickly grew into a partnership of 75 educators, social workers, healthcare providers, professionals in aging and other interested individuals. Read More >>

Convened in 2005, the Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition is an association of more than 60 organizations that support informal caregivers for older adults, as well as grandparents raising grandchildren. Organizer Wes Lum writes that “our activities of the past year, what we are currently focusing on and the challenges we have encountered offer an example … of initiatives undertaken by a statewide caregiver coalition. Although in some ways unique to our state, our coalition’s approach … can offer both inspiration and concrete models to similar groups elsewhere.” Read More >>

Moira Fordyce is a geriatrician and educator who has specialized in home care, nursing home care and hospice care for more than 20 years. Reflecting her interest in caregiver issues, she recently signed on as chair of the California Caregivers Coalition. In this interview, she offers observations on the California group -- and provides advice for those looking to start coalitions elsewhere: “Don’t use any one coalition as your model,” she says. “Look at the various existing ones and take tips from all of them, because each deals with different issues.” Read More >>

“We're excited by the opportunities for future growth for the network – and delighted to be writing our first Network News,” note Rona S. Bartelstone and Letia A. Boseman, the new cochairs of the HAN Leadership Council. “We will be using this and future columns to discuss issues of concern for HAN and for the broader field of healthcare for older adults.” In this installment, they give us a snapshot of the success of HAN’s programming at the 2008 Aging in America Conference -- and highlight some strategic goals for all who are committed to improving healthcare for older adults. Read More >>