title: Improving policies for caregiver respite services.
abstract: This paper provides a template for the decade ahead regarding the delivery, supply, and funding of caregiver respite services. Policy changes are needed to address these issues as concerns about our country's ability to meet future caregiving needs are growing along with our aging population. Federal initiatives and state-level policies and programs affecting respite are reviewed and directions for policy advancement are highlighted. Much more work is needed to educate caregivers and the general public about the necessity for respite beginning early in the caregiving career to prevent burnout and other adverse effects. Because it is unlikely that there will be a sufficient number of direct-care workers to replace unpaid caregivers, improved policies are needed to ensure that their situation is sustainable through increased availability of high-quality respite and other services vital to caregiver health and well-being. Among the 2015 White House Conference on Aging's priorities in the next decade, policies on long-term services and supports will require focused attention on family caregivers and the direct-care workforce to strengthen their ability to give care now and support their own physical, emotional, and financial needs in the future.
authors.affiliation: Katz Policy Institute, Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, Cleveland, Ohio. mrose@benrose.org.
authors.forename: Miriam S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Katz Policy Institute, Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Noelker
authors.affiliation: ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center, Annandale, Virginia.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kagan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000639:trends; D012144:Respite Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Caregiving – informal; Family issues; Home- and community-based care and services; Long-term services and supports; Workforce issues