226299 A Profile of Caregiving in the Disabilities Population

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Deborah Viola, PhD , School of Health Sciences & Practice, Department of Health Policy & Management, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
Peter S. Arno, PhD , School of Health Sciences & Practice, Department of Health Policy & Management, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD , American Association of Caregiving Youth, Boca Raton, FL
Donna Cohen, PhD , Department of Aging and Mental Health Disparities and Head, Violence and Injury Prevention Program, University of South Florida, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, Tampa, FL
Jennifer Greene, BA , Department of Aging and Mental Health Disparities and Head, Violence and Injury Prevention Program, University of South Florida, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, Tampa, FL
To date, few solutions have been found to the national challenge of providing care for household members or friends suffering from disabilities. Although studies estimate the annual cost of informal caregiving by adults, the emphasis is largely on the cost of caring for our aging population. Emphasis has traditionally not been focused on estimating costs of caring for those with disabilities. In addition, no estimate exists for the informal caregiving undertaken by youth.

Our overall goal is to provide an economic perspective of informal caregiving to inform public policy and improve the long-term supply and quality of caregiving in the U.S. The economic value of youth and adult caregiving for those with disabilities is estimated based on prevalence data from two surveys, Caregiving in the U.S. 2009 and Young Caregivers in the U.S. 2005; wage rates are derived from the 2009 Metlife Market Survey of Adult Day Care Services and Home Care Costs and from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This study is intended to serve as a measure of how vulnerable our care system is, not only for the elderly, but for those with disabilities, regardless of age. If we consider the contributions throughout the caregiving continuum, it is paramount that we understand the true costs and benefits for all caregivers in an effort to build a policy agenda that achieves a better national care economy.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Biostatistics, economics
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe the economic impact of informal adult and youth caregivers, not only for the elderly, but for those with disabilities, regardless of age.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked as the RA on this for Drs. Viola and Cohen.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.