Family Caregiver Alliance

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Who We Are

Founded in 1977, Family Caregiver Alliance was the first community-based nonprofit organization in the country to address the needs of families and friends providing long-term care at home. Long recognized as a pioneer in health services, FCA now offers programs at national, state and local levels to support and sustain caregivers.

History

More than 30 years ago, a small task force of families and community leaders in San Francisco came together to create support services for those struggling to provide long term care for a loved one who did not "fit" into traditional health systems: adults suffering from Alzheimer's disease, stroke, Parkinson's, traumatic brain injury and other debilitating disorders. The diagnoses were different, but the families shared common challenges: isolation, lack of information, few community resources, and drastic changes in family roles.

The task force's early efforts had three lasting results: the formation of Family Caregiver Alliance; the genesis of California's statewide network of Caregiver Resource Centers; and the beginnings of a national movement to recognize the immense contribution of family caregivers to the long-term health care of the ill and elderly in our country.

National, State and Local Programs

Uniting research, policy and practice, FCA established the National Center on Caregiving (NCC) to advance the development of high-quality, cost effective programs and policies for caregivers in every state in the country. The NCC sponsors the Family Care Navigator to help caregivers locate support services in their communities.

FCA also oversees Link2Care, an Internet support and information system for clients of California's system of Caregiver Resource Centers and operates the Bay Area Caregiver Resource Center in the six-county San Francisco Bay Area. In that capacity, FCA staff social workers work closely with families caring for ill or elderly loved ones. Our services, education programs and publications are developed with their expressed needs in mind, to offer real support, essential information, and tools to manage the complex and demanding tasks of caregiving.

Family Caregiver Alliance is a public voice for caregivers, illuminating the daily challenges they face, offering them the assistance they so desperately need and deserve, and championing their cause through education, services, research and advocacy.


Newsletters

FCA publishes seven free e-newsletters covering all aspects of long-term family caregiving. Sign up today for one or all of our newsletters!

* FCA e-Update - At last, an electronic version of our award-winning newsletter, featuring national, state and local news and caregiving advice for families, policy makers, providers, program developers.

* Caregiving PolicyDigest - FCA’s twice-monthly briefing on current federal and state legislation, new programs and funding initiatives for long-term caregiving.

* California Caregiver - Caregivers all over California can get this monthly publication featuring advice, news and a listing of statewide educational offerings.

* Learning Together - For folks in the San Francisco Bay Area—a monthly rundown of FCA workshops, classes and programs especially designed to help you in your day-to-day care.

* News for Bay Area Providers - Training opportunities, program news and information delivered monthly for health and service providers.

* Newslink - A publication exclusively for Link2Care members. Visit Link2Care for more information.

* Al Dia - offers practical care tips, helpful resources and information in Spanish, published four times a year.