Family Caregiver Alliance
Encyclopedia
Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) is a national nonprofit caregiver
support organization headquartered in San Francisco, California. Beginning as the all-volunteer Family Survival Project in 1977, it was founded to serve the needs
of those caring for a friend or family member with serious cognitive impairment
. At the time, Alzheimer's was not yet a household word, and those caring for a husband, wife, daughter, neighbor, or other loved one were expected to deal with the challenges of total care completely on their own, if they were thought about at all.
In 1979, the organization's founding members soon convinced California's legislature
to approve landmark legislation that would dramatically expand the fledgling organization's mission.
According to FCA's website, "The program grew as media coverage attracted the attention of families throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and subsequently became the first voluntary, community-based organization in the country to respond to the challenges of caring for loved ones with serious cognitive disorders striking after age 18. The 'Family Survival Project' became the Bay Area’s Caregiver Resource Center.
In 1984, the legislature "acted to ensure that all Californians had access to innovative support services, establishing ten additional Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) throughout the state, replicating the FCA model." In 2001, the National Center on Caregiving was established at FCA to advance the development of high-quality, cost-effective programs and policies nationwide that support and sustain the important work of families and friends caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling health conditions.
Today, Family Caregiver Alliance acts as a single point-of-entry for access to services and information for California's family caregivers
, and as a clearinghouse for caregiver information throughout the US.
Caregiver
Caregiver may refer to:* Caregiver or carer - an unpaid person who cares for someone requiring support due to a disability, frailty, mental health problem, learning disability or old age...
support organization headquartered in San Francisco, California. Beginning as the all-volunteer Family Survival Project in 1977, it was founded to serve the needs
Caregiving and dementia
As populations age, caregiving and dementia become more common aspects of life. In most mild to medium cases of dementia the primary caregiver is a family member, usually a spouse or adult child...
of those caring for a friend or family member with serious cognitive impairment
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
. At the time, Alzheimer's was not yet a household word, and those caring for a husband, wife, daughter, neighbor, or other loved one were expected to deal with the challenges of total care completely on their own, if they were thought about at all.
In 1979, the organization's founding members soon convinced California's legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
to approve landmark legislation that would dramatically expand the fledgling organization's mission.
According to FCA's website, "The program grew as media coverage attracted the attention of families throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and subsequently became the first voluntary, community-based organization in the country to respond to the challenges of caring for loved ones with serious cognitive disorders striking after age 18. The 'Family Survival Project' became the Bay Area’s Caregiver Resource Center.
In 1984, the legislature "acted to ensure that all Californians had access to innovative support services, establishing ten additional Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) throughout the state, replicating the FCA model." In 2001, the National Center on Caregiving was established at FCA to advance the development of high-quality, cost-effective programs and policies nationwide that support and sustain the important work of families and friends caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling health conditions.
Today, Family Caregiver Alliance acts as a single point-of-entry for access to services and information for California's family caregivers
Family caregivers
Family caregivers provide a wide variety of services to care recipients: administering medications and physical therapy, assisting with daily tasks, meeting with healthcare providers, coordinating treatment regimens and schedules, helping with financial and administrative aspects of medical care,...
, and as a clearinghouse for caregiver information throughout the US.