As the U.S. population continues to age, the caregiving burden will only continue to increase. At some point in their lives, many individuals will take on the role of caring for friends, family members, or others. For some, this may be in a professional capacity, and for others, an act of love. AMWA launched this initiative in 2020 to raise awareness, provide resources, and most importantly, sound a call to action for a growing public health issue — the importance of caring for the caregiver. In 2024, the Center for Medicare Services will implement Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model to support patients with dementia and their unpaid caregivers. Learn more
President Biden issued a proclamation this year in honor of National Family Caregivers Month.
Community, Connections, and Caregiving: AMWA Celebrates November National Family Caregivers Month
In partnership with The Federation of Medical Women of Canada, AMWA Presents:
Wine, Women, & Dementia
Don’t miss this poignant, hilarious, and honest portrayal of caregiving and dementia.
Click here to view trailer.
On-Demand Viewing: Nov. 11-28
Live Discussion with Filmmaker Kitty Norton: Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 8pm ET
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Summary: Wine, Women, & Dementia provides a poignant and intimate look into the human side of dementia. This film follows the journey of former dementia family caregiver and filmmaker, Kitty Norton, as she embarks on a cross-country RV adventure with her best friend, Beth Rigazio, to meet the dementia family caregivers who provided virtual friendship and encouragement through their shared caregiver experiences. Through these face-to-face encounters, Norton seeks to deepen her understanding of the caregiving experience, and highlight the vital support that caregivers provide to one another, despite the physical distance between them.
“It’s a roadtrip connecting the disconnected – because until there’s a cure, there’s community.”
Sponsorship Opportunities (on registration form): Gold $500+ Silver $250+ Bronze $100+ Friend $25+
Blog Post – A Physician’s Perspective: Riderwood Village Apt. PV-402 – Tuesday, October 24, 2023
My mother was a New York City public school teacher and guidance counselor for over 30 years, a real force to be reckoned with. When I was 5 years old, she threatened to cut my hair if I refused to let her brush it. I ended up with a very short haircut.
I grew up to be a general internist and hospital administrator. None of my training or experience or years as a parent prepared me for having to wrestle with my mom over her shampooing, bathing, and dressing, now that she’s 90 years old and suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.
Here’s a glimpse of one evening in that struggle. — Karen L. Jerome, MD Read the Blog Post.
Personal Journey of a Family Caregiver
Susie Singer Carter advocated for her mother’s care as she declined into dementia and spent her final years in a nursing home. Susie shares her compelling experience and insights regarding the role and challenges facing a family caregiver of someone with Alzheimer’s disease.
Susie is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, writer, director, producer, actor, podcast producer, host, and Alzheimer’s caregiver advocate. best known for her 2018 Oscar qualified short film, My Mom and The Girl with Valerie Harper starring in her final performance. Susie is a sought-after speaker and has appeared in several Alzheimer’s awareness campaigns for Alzheimer’s Los Angeles. She proudly emceed the 2022 San Fernando Valley Alzheimer’s Walk holding up a purple flower for her mother who passed away in July.
In 2023, AMWA hosted a screening of My Mom and the Girl and a discussion with filmmaker Susie Singer Carter.
Caregiving in Alzheimer’s Disease
Watch this on-demand presentation Caregiving in AD: What the Physician Needs to Know. AMWA partners with CareBrains to offer guidance on managing the caregiver-physician relationship to assure you are providing the best care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Film – Caregiver: A Love Story
From 2020 – 2021, AMWA hosted a one-hour CME/CE Program (film + lecture) for physicians, nurses, and social workers. Learn how you can screen the film at your institution or hospital.
Award-winning film (Best Short Documentary, SF Jewish Film Festival 2020) by Dr. Jessica Zitter, (author of Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life*). “Caregiver: A Love Story highlights an essential, yet largely unseen workforce–the family caregivers of America…When 59-year-old Bambi decides to forgo further treatment for her cancer and die at home her husband Rick leaves his job to beome her primary caregiver–a role for which he has no experience and little support.” Learn more about the film.
Past Events
2023 – My Mom and the Girl screening and discussion with Susie Singer Carter
2021 – Caregiver: A Love StoryAMWA screening and discussion with Dr. Jessica Zitter
National Family Caregivers Month, November 2020
Caregiver: A Love Story
Event Supporters & Donors
Gold Level
Dr. Shahnaz Fatteh
Bronze Level
Dr. Karen Jerome
Dr. Laurel Waters & Jeanne Robertson
Drs. Eliza & Doug Chin
Friend
Dawn Wyllie, MD, MPH
Molly Mccormick
Dr. Julianne Dean
Amanda Coggin
Ally
Ellen Singer
Constance U. Battle, MD
Eveline Wu MFT
Kolby Miller
Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber
Dr. Ora Pescovitz
Doug Mosher & Carla Din
Resources and Services
General Resources
General
- AARP Family Caregiving
- Administration for Community Living
- Administration on Aging
- Aging Care
- Alzheimer’s Association
- Alzheimers.gov
- American Health Care Association – National Center for Assisted Living
- AmeriCorps Seniors
- ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center
- Caregiver Action Network
- Caregiver Media Group – General information, magazine, resources, conference, newsletters
- Caregiver Stress and Burnout (Help Guide)
- Family Caregiving Alliance
- Get Palliative Care
- LongTermCare.gov
- Memory Cafe Directory
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- National Adult Day Services Association
- National Alliance for Caregiving
- National Association of Home Builders- Certified Aging in Place Specialists
- National Institutes on Aging
- RAND Corporation – Caregiving Initiative
- Rosalynn Carter Institute
- Senior Link
- State Health Insurance Assistance Programs
- Well Spouse Association
Medicare Resources
Medicare Resources
Military Resources
Military Resources
- Blue Star Caregivers (Caregivers: Helping Strong Families be Even Stronger)
- Easter Seals: Military & Veteran Caregivers
- Elizabeth Dole Foundation (Caring for Military Families)
- Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs (RAND Solution)
- Military Caregiver Support Resources (Caregivers Resources)
- Military OneSource: Support for Military Personnel & Families (Part of Department of Defense’s Network of Support for the Military Community)
- Red Cross: Military and Veteran Caregiver Network
- VA Caregiver Support (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
- VA Family Caregiver Program (Military.com)
- VA Geriatrics and Extended Care (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Benefits and Funding
Benefits and Funding
- PACE (Programs for All-Inclusive Care)
- Paying for Senior Care
- How to Become a Paid Caregiver for a Family Member: 6 Steps to Uncovering Financial Assistance Options for Family Caregivers (Angela Stringfellow, April 2020)
- Where Family Caregivers Can Get Financial Assistance (Margie Zable Fisher, May 2020)
- Scholarships and Financial Aid for Family Caregivers (Marsha Mercer, AARP)
- 10 Government Resources Every Caregiver Should Know About
Publications
Publications
- Unpaid Family Caregiving—The Next Frontier of Gender Equity in a Postpandemic Future (JAMA Health Forum)
- Caregiving in the US 2020 (NAC and AARP, 2020)
- Caregiver Care (Swartz and Collins, American Family Physician, 2019)
- Sharing the Care – A Patient and Her Caregivers (JAMA Internal Medicine)
- Population Characteristics and Needs of Informal Caregivers Associated With the Risk of Perceiving a High Burden: A Cross- Sectional Study (Prevo, KlaasJan, et.al., The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 2018)
- A Call to Preventive Action by Health Care Providers and Policy Makers to Support Caregivers (Hoffman and Zucker, Prev Chronic Dis, 2016)
- Caregiver Burden: A Clinical Review (Adelman, Lyubov, and Tmanova, JAMA, 2014)
- Caregiving Burden, Stress, and Health Effects Among Family Caregivers of Adult Cancer Patients (Bevans and Sternberg, JAMA, 2012)
- Home-based family caregiving at the end of life: a comprehensive review of published quantitative research (1998-2008) (Stajduhar, Funk, et.al, Palliative Medicine, 2010)
- Sharing the Care: The Role of Family in Chronic Illness (Rosland, California HealthCare Foundation, 2009)
- Supporting Family Caregivers in Providing Care – Patient Safety and Quality (Reinhard, Given, Petilick and Bemis, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2008)
- Caring for the Most Vulnerable: Framing the Public Health of Caregiving (Talley and Crews, Am J Public Health, 2007.
- Caring for family members with chronic physical illness: A critical review of caregiver literature (Lim and Zebrack; Health Qual Life Outcomes, 2004)
- Estimating the Cost of Informal Caregiving for Elderly Patients With Cancer (Hayman, Langa, et.al., J Clinical Oncology, 2001)
- Involvement in Caregiving and Adjustment to Death of a Spouse (Schultz, Beach, and Lind, JAMA, 2001)
- Caregiving as a Risk Factor for Mortality: The Caregiver Health Effects Study (Schulz and Beach, PhD; JAMA, 1999)
Events
Events
November 18, 2020, 8 pm EST: Special Film Screening and Discussion with the Producer/Director
About Us
About Us
This initiative was formed in collaboration with Dr. Jessica Zitter and the film, Caregiver: A Love Story.
- Dr. Jessica Zitter — Producer/Director, Caregiver: A Love Story and Author, Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life*
- Dr. Eliza Chin — AMWA Executive Director
- Emily Chen — AMWA Project Coordinator
- Kayla Li — AMWA Assistant Director
- Magda Wojtara and Brianna Fitzpatrick — AMWA Student Researchers