'If you had five minutes with Obama, what would you tell him about family caregiving?' posted by polly7 @ {post.created_at.to_s(:post_time)}

polly7 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:33:54 -0000

I would tell him to walk in your shoes of being a care giver and tell him we as american needs to help each other and have more jobs for care giver who a still looking for a job.polly7

'If you had five minutes with Obama, what would you tell him about family caregiving?' posted by nohope @ {post.created_at.to_s(:post_time)}

nohope — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:44:00 -0000

I am a 52 year old caregiver to my 54 year old husband who had a brain stem stroke, brain damage, and who now has severe cognitive deficits. I am also the mother and guardian of an adult autistic son.

I have only been able to work a total of five years out of the 36 that I have been married due to the severe life long behavioral issues that my son has had. My husband, until his stroke two years ago, has spent most of his lifetime working hard backbreaking jobs to make enough money to support us over the years. Our life has never been easy.

We have a rather large extended family, and once upon a time had many friends, but when people discover that your child has a mental handicap, prejudice sets in and family and friends seemly fall off the face of the earth, so I am all on my own caring for my family.

At this point and time, I am doing everything I can to take care of my husband and son, and I am doing it with no pay and no health insurance. I can't work because I can't afford for someone to care for my husband while I work, even if I could find work. No one wants to hire someone my age with little to no experience. I have very problematic health issues of my own, but I am afraid to seek medical help because my husband is in the "TWO YEAR WAITING PERIOD" (You know, the law that someone under 65 years of age has to wait for TWO YEARS after becoming disabled to be elegible for Medicare because our government is hoping they will die during this time so they won't collect the Social Security that they paid into for years.) and I am doing everything I can to see that my husband's severe health issues are addressed, when we can afford it. As for me, I guess if I get really sick, then I will just have to die. Who will take care of my husband and son then? It appears to me that if the caregiver is willing and able to take care of their family, our government would support their efforts. Then again, perhaps our government is hoping losers like us will all die so they can keep every dime we paid to them over the years.

Please listen to my pleas President Obama. To survive, we need help, if you care. Please help us, and people like us.

'If you had five minutes with Obama, what would you tell him about family caregiving?' posted by kteachusk @ {post.created_at.to_s(:post_time)}

kteachusk — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:11:35 -0000

If I had five minutes with President Obama I would tell him that healthcare is no longer an issue we can put on the back burner. There are 47 million un/under-insured Americans. Also the baby boomers are reaching retirement age and Medicare and Medicaid are not sufficient. Medicare does not even cover glasses or hearing aids. Medicare Part D has big donut holes seniors and their families are falling in and sometimes drowning in. The money for what Medicare and Medicaid consider "luxuries" oftentimes comes from the seniors' hard working children. Those hard-working children who often have to take unpaid time off to take care of their parents. Those hard-working children who have their own children they are raising and hope to send to college. Those hard-working children who often do not get a break when they come home from work; they have to start on their second job taking care of their families and their aging parents. Those hard-working children whose taxes are going into programs that at this rate will not be around for them when they grow old. Those hard working children who are risking early death because they do not have the time to take care of their own health.

There has been plenty talk about this in the past, Now is the time for action. Stand up to the insurance companies that are making their fortunes on the working classes back. Stand up to the Pharmaceutical manufacturers who are more profitable than most Fortune 500 companies and are blocking more cost effective generics. Stand up to the AMA who has historically looked out solely for physician's best interests rather than the patients. Stand up to the all-powerful corporate lobbyists who show up to your offices as well as Congress and the House of Representatives. Don't just give us idle words, show us the money, Mr. President.

'If you had five minutes with Obama, what would you tell him about family caregiving?' posted by TheGrandChick @ {post.created_at.to_s(:post_time)}

TheGrandChick — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:17:13 -0000

I can't answer for everyone, but I know what my family needs: we need financial support to make up for the fact that instead of working at a 9-to-5 office job, my mom (my co-caregiver, and the family's sole breadwinner) is working multiple freelance jobs while she takes care of my grandma. Which means not only is she paying huge amounts in "self-employment" taxes, but she has to pay for our (hers and mine) health insurance all on her own. Between the two things (taxes and health insurance), we're talking HUGE amounts of money...all while she works just as full-time as she always did (she averages more than 40 hours a week), AND takes care of my grandma. If she could get some money back for that (like, "if you can't work a regular job because you're a caregiver, you can get health insurance at a group rate, like you could if you worked for a company" or "if you work freelance because you spend your time caregiving, we'll reduce/suspend the self-employment tax"), that would REALLY help.

'If you had five minutes with Obama, what would you tell him about family caregiving?' posted by izzardchik @ {post.created_at.to_s(:post_time)}

izzardchik — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:52:17 -0000

I am an only child of a single parent. I've been pretty much taking care of my mom for a while now, she hasn't been able to work for a couple of years. The financial stress itself is crippling - add to that the physical, emotional and often psychological stressors and you might have an idea of how difficult days are. Between work and caring for my mom, there is very little time for anything else. Yes, I know the house is a mess - thanks. Yes, I know there are dishes in the sink - thanks. Yes, I know the house should be remodeled so mom has more of an actual 'quality of life' - thanks. There is no end to the list of 'things to do'. But my energy is tapped, my strength all but gone - given in the interest of surviving day to day.

There are many issues that need to be addressed - especially since there are so many others in the same or similar position. I think that, where there are 'employee assistance' programs in place within a workplace, elder care should be part of the program. I wish that there were tax benefits similar to those in place for dependant children - what about dependant elders?? It's no less costly, financially, physically or emotionally to care for someone older than it is for a child - in many cases caring for an elder takes on the same difficulties as caring for a special needs child.

There are no easy answers, no quick fixes - I know that. What I need is a little support, a little help - not a waiting list or a wish list. I am, by turns, angry; scared; frustrated; devastated; all this and more. I've heard from people telling me how wonderful it is that I do these things for my mom, but believe me when I say -- I don't often feel wonderful.

Family caregivers need more than a pat on the head and 'good job'. We need real resources; financial, environmental, emotional, that we can use to help us create a better situation for our elders in care, whether they be parents, siblings, relative or friend - and by extension for ourselves. We have an inordinately high percentage of elders in our country - matched only by the inordinate numbers of family caregivers, we need more than the strength of the love in our hearts to do this. We need help to succeed and to survive - and to give these people that we so deeply care for the best possible future, however long that future may be.

'If you had five minutes with Obama, what would you tell him about family caregiving?' posted by TERI502 @ {post.created_at.to_s(:post_time)}

TERI502 — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:31:03 -0000

all caregivers of their elder family members w/ alzheimers or terminal illnesses need to be able to contact a govt service to come out and be able to give baths or showers or clean the house or do other chores grocery shopping, picking up rx's there is nothing that a caregiver can do when they are taking care of their elder. they cant leave them alone to go to the store and they cant take them because they arent able to walk or they dont have the ability to take a wheelchair etc. it is the most dificult hardship on this earth.you not only hurt becaue u are watching one u luv deteriorate in pain and suffering w/ cancer or alzheimers etc and u arent able to give them a shower so u need someone to come in and do it for you because u dont want to put them in a home where they give up and die. i've seen too many that are put into homes and die 3 months later. we cant bathe my mother n law and we are both disabled and she's 82 w alzheiemrs and we cant seem to ever get to the kitchen to make dinner because she has to be watched every second so she doesnt hurt herself. u never have any time alone without worry or stress u never can get to do the housework b ecause she has to be taken care of and its very demanding she dosnt rtemeber 10 seconds ago she remebers 12 years ago sometimes but the bathing the chores the shopping the stress and we cant take care of ourselves and so many homes split apart because of this i have a relationship of 14 years and totally disabled myself and my other half is a disabled vet and has severe scoliosis we cant do anything hardly and the elder one in your family shouldnt have to suffer without a bathe or shower for 9 days b cause u are so ill so u call for your daughter to travel 60 miles so she can give her a bath 2 x a week its horrific to think that if we want someone to come bathe her or vacum our floor 0r to clean our house and watch her while the shopping is done for groceries and the heat bill is sky high because she has to have an extra heater in her room set on 75 because she freezes to death its so hard we need some type of program that isnt a pain and u feel like you are beneath someone when asking for help that will pay for the type of care that is needed in every household that has an elder that they are caring for and every household has different situations and differnt needs so it needs to be flexible it will save in medical costs for not only the elder but also for the caregivers because their health goes down the tube and there isnt any time that when u have a loved one that is ill that is living with you that it s not xtremely hard and trying and frustrating and depressing and soooo stressful this really needs to be addressed..if we could mix the way that europeans are taken care of ...medically the drs care they get paid by govt and they really want to help its not bASED ON MONEY ITS BASED ON CARE AND ITS FREE ..THE GOVT PAYS AND THE ASIAN CULTURE HOW THEY ARE FAMILY UNIT AND THEY ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF THEIR ELDEST AND ALL GET TOGETHRE AND HELP EACH OTHER WE DEFINITLEY NEED HELP AND IF SOMEONE IS DEEMED DISABLED IT SHOULD BE A GIVEN THAT IF THAT PERSON IS TOTALLY AND I MEAN TOTALLY LIKE MYSELF ...I HAVENT BEEN OUT OF THE HOUSE IN 8 YEARS EXCEPT TO DR APPTS AND ITS SO DARN DIFFICULT AND SSECURITY DOESNT PAY ENOUGH FOR ME TO EVEN RENT A APT THIS IS A DISGRACE THIS COUNTRY IS SUPPOSE TO BE THE BEST...WELL I WORKED IN THE FEILDS WHEN I WAS 8 AND I HAD TO EARN MONEY FOR MY CLOTHING MY MOTHER WORKED THE FEILDS AND MY FAHTER HAD BEEN A TREE FALLER AND A TREE BUCKED BACKWARDS AND CRUSHED HIM HIS BACK WAS CRUSHED AND ALL I REMEMBER IN ,MY CHILDHOOD ALL THRU MY 40 YEARS WAS BODY CASTS HOSPITAL BEDS IN THE LIVING ROOM AND CHORES TO KEEP A CLEAN HOME GARAGE SALES FOR FURNITURE BUT WE NEVER EVER WENT WITHOUT ANYTHING WE HAD CLOTHES FOR SCHOOL ETC BUT THEY WENT WITHOUT EVERYTHING FOR US 3 KIDS AND MY MOTHER PASSED AT 56 SHE HAD TB WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE AND HER MAIN "A NODE" IN HER HEART WAS MALFUNCTIONING BUT THE DR WANTED 100K UP FRONT FOR THE SURGEREY SHE NEEDED TO FIX IT IT WAS OVER 300K FOR HIM TO KILL HER HEART AND PUT A PACEMAKER IN THAT WOULD RUN HER HEART FOR HER AND SHE HAD COPD BECAUSE OF THE ASBESTOS AND LEAD PAINT FROM ALL THE RENTALS WE LIVED IN THAT THEY WOULD FIX UP AND MAKE BEAUTIFUL ONLY TO HAVE THE LANDLORD RAISE THE RENT, MY FATHER SPENT TWELVE YEARS FIGHTING L &I BECAUSE THEY SAID HE WAS ABLE TO SHINE SHOES IF HE NEEDED FOR A LVINGI EVEN THOUGH HE WAS MISSING 5" OF HIS SPINE AND THEY HAD TRIED 6 DIFFERENT BACK SURGERIES ONLY TO FIND OUT THE FIRST ONE WAS BOTCHED AND EVEN GOAT BONE WOULDNT TAKE. I REMEBER MY MOTHER EVEN WHEN I WAS IN MY 30'S SHE WAS FIGHTING TO GET STATE ASSISTANCE..JUST MEDICAL AND THEY DENIED HER OVER AND OVER UNTIL AFTER HER PASSING AT 56 YRS YOUNG MY FATHER GOT A LETTER STATING: DEAR MRS ********* YOU HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ........BUT IT WASNT NEEDED NOW SHE SUFFOCATED IN A COMA FOR 8 LONG DAYS I WAS BY HER SIDE EVERY SECOND AND NEVER LEFT I CHANGED IN THE BATHROOM OF THE HOSPITAL. THEY COULDNT EVEN AFFORD A FUNERAL SO SHE HAD TO BE CREMATED AND THE URN WAS BOUGHT WITH THE 250.00 SOCIAL SECURITY THAT SHE GOT WWWWWWWWWWWWOOWWWWWWWWWW SHE COULDNT EVEN GET SOCIAL SECURITY BECAUSE WHEN SHE WORKED AT THE ****************BANK AND WHE SHE WORKED AT A DEPARTMENT STORE AS A CASHEIR ETC ETC ETC ....ALL THOSE TIMES..ALL THOSE YEARS SHE WORKED EVEN WHILE HE NEEDED HER AT HOME.....THEY DIDNT FALL IN THE PRIOR QUARTERSTHAT SHE NEEDED SO SHE WOULD BE ENTITLED TO IT BUT NO NOTTA EVEN THOUGH ALL HER LIFE SHE WORKED HARDER THAN ANYONE I'VE EVER KNOWN AND SHE EVEN TOOK UP BEING A MAID AT A HOTEL BECAUSE THATS THE ONLY ONE SHE COULD DO AND TAKE CARE OF MY FATHER ALL THOSE YEARS. HE WAS ONLY 26 WHEN THE TREE CRUSHED HIS BACK AND HE WAS ONLY 32 WHEN HE HAD HIS 1ST HEART ATTACK FROM THE FLAKES OF SCAR TISSUE IN HIS BLOOD STREAM AND THEN A STROKE AND THEN ANOTHER HE HAD OVER 8 STROKES LOST COUNT AND 5 HEART ATTACKS THEY GAVE HIM HIS LAST RIGHTS 3 DIFFERENT TIMES IN HIS LIFE ONLY TO WALK OUT OF THE HOSPITALS 2-3 WEEKS LATER AND ALL THOSE BILL COLLECTORS HOUNDING THEM ALL DAY LONG ON THE PHONE AND THEY WOULD PAY WHAT THEY COULD BUT THEY STILL HOUNDED THEM THEY ARE PART OF THE REASON WHY MY FAHTE RDIED THE STRESS OF IT ALL WAS TOO MUCH ON HIS HEART BUT HE NEVER GAVE UP HE LIVED TO BE 65 HE WPOULD BE GREENISH WHITE WITH A CANE AND IN EXCRUCITATING PAIN BUT WOULD GIVE THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK TO A STRRANGER IF HE ASKED FOR IT.

MY DAD AS I WAS SAYING FOUGHT THE STATE (L&I) FOR 12 YEARS ONLY TO GET A SMALL AMT MONTHLY AND THEN WHEN HE DIED IN 2006 HE WAS ONLY BRINGING IN $1200.00 MONTH . (ITS MORE THAN ALOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW BUT IT DOESNT COVER LIVING ) BUT HE HAD A CHOICE AFTER 12 YEARS OF LEGAL BATTLES ....GETTING A LUMP SUM OF ? OR TAKE A SMALL AMOUNT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE AND BECAUSE HE HAD A WIFE AND KIDS HE TOOK THE PEANUTS EVERY MONTH. HE HAD ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS JOBS IN THE WORLD AND BACK THEN THE TREES WERE LARGE NOW THEY ARE SPINDLES OF WOOD BUT THEY WERE AND ARE THE MOST WONDERFUL PARENTS, FREINDS, THAT ANYONE COULD EVER KNOW. I MISS THEM DEARLY THEY TAUGHT US WELL BUT ONLY TO LEARN OURSELVES THAT THE SYSTEM ISNT FOR THOSE THAT MAKE THE ECONOMY STABLE, THE WOOD THAT WAS USED FOR EVERYTHING HE MADE SURE THE TREE WOULD FALL BUT IT TOOK HIS LIFE BECAUSE AFTER THAT HE SUFFERED EVERY DAY THEY NEVER EVER GOT OUT OF THE STATE THEY NEVER GOT TO SEE DISNEY WORLD (NEITHER HAVE I BUT THEY WORKED ALL THEIR SHORT LIVES OF 56 YEARS AND 65 YEARS ONLY TO LIVE UNDER STRESS OF DEPENDING ON THE STATE TO GIVE THEM THE RUNAROUND AND BILL COLLECTORS EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD PAY ON THE MEDICAL BILLS IT WAS NEVER ENOUGH. SHE COULDNT AFFORD THE HEART SURGERY SHE NEEDED AND DADS HEART AND BACK COULDNT TAKE ANY MORE PAIN AND THEY BOTH DIED WITHOUT LIVING.....THEY DESERVED BETTER..FOR INSTANCE .....LIKE CANADA..IF THEY WOULD HAVE LIVED IN CANADA THEY WOULD STILL BE ALIVE. ITS BEEN 11 LONG YEARS SINCE MY MOTHER PASSED AT AGE 56 AND ONLY 2 YEARS SINCE MY FATHER PASSED AND I'M 46 FUNNY I WAS A PASSENGER IN A CAR AT THE AGE OF 17 AND THE CAR FOLLOWED THE FOG LINE ON THE HIGHWAY ONLY TO FOLLOW IT OFF THE ROAD DOWN AN EMBANKMENT IT WAS REALLY FOGGY COULDNT SEE PASSED THE WINDSHEILD AND A FREIND WAS DRIVING ABOUT 8-10 MILES AN HOUR ...(THE COUNTY PUT A LINE ACROSS WHERE WE FOLLOWED THE FOG LINE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD) BUT IT WAS TOO LATE FOR ME. (I'M GRATEFUL I'M NOT TOTALLY PARALYZED OR WORSE DEAD)... BUT I WAS TAKEN BY A YOUNG ATTY THAT HAD JUST GOT INTO A NEW BUILDING JUST STARTING OUT IN HIS BUSINESS (I DIDNT KNOW IT THEN I WAS IN SHOCK STILL AND WAS FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS ALL A BLURR) .... HE SETTLED OUT OF COURT FOR 25K I DIDNT KNOW ANY BETTER MY BACK WAS BROKEN L1 AND L2 VERTABRAE CRUSHED AND SPINAL CHORD BADLY BRUISED AND MY JAW HANGING AND NO CHEEKBONE TO SEE AND THERAPY THE REST OF MY LIFE OUR SYSTEM NEEDS TO LOOK TO CANADA THEY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT IS DONE CORRECTLY. USE THEIR SYSTEM AS A MODEL. ITS BASED ON FIXING AND GETTING PEOPLE HEALTHY NOT HOW MANY PATIENTS CAN I GET AND HOW MUCH MONEY CAN I MAKE BASED ON THE INCOME ....AND THEY TAKE CARE OF THEIR PEOPLE IF YOU DONT HAVE YOUR HEALTH, IF YOU DONT HAVE THE MEANS, IF YOU DONT HAVE A DR THAT CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND NOT ABOUT THE MONEY OR HIS TIME, AND YOU DONT HAVE A COUNTRY THAT CARES ABOUT FAMILY UNITY WHERE EVERYTHING IS BASED ON REC'G BENEFITS IF YOUR NOT MARRIED , SOCIAL SECURITY PENALIZES IF YOU ARE MARRIED, WHAT HAS THIS COUNTRY BECOME? ITS ALL GREED AND EVERYONE IS IN SUCH A HURRY BOTH PARENTS HAVE TO WORK AND STILL HAVE NO MONEY AT THE END OF THE MONTH...BUT THERE ARE THOSE FEW THAT HAVE IT ALL AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT DONT HAVE THE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PATIENTS OR THE ONE THAT DONT CARE IF THIS PERSON IS GUILTY OR NOT HE JUST WANTS HIS % OR HIS FAME IF ITS A WELL KNOWN PERSON ON TRIAL...WE HAVE BECOME OUR OWN WORST ENEMY..SOMETIMES I WONDER IF THE OTHER COUNTRIES ARE CORRECT WHEN THEY SAY WE ARE GREEDY , WASTEFUL, RUDE, ETC I KNOW THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE LIKE ME AND HUMBLED ALWAYS BY GODS CREATIONS BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THAT ARENT OF THIS NATURE AND THEY SEEM TO DO MORE HARM THAN WE CAN DO GOOD...THE SCALES ARENT EQUAL INFACT THEY ARE AS OFF AS THEY CAN BE..WE AS A PEOPLE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE OUR EARTH AND OUR FOOD CHAIN, MAMMALS,ANIMALS,FRUIT, ETC ARE GONE AND ITS NOT FAR FROM NOW..TECHNOLOGY IS WONDERFUL MAJESTIC, EXHILERATING...BUT WHEN NOT USED PROPERLY IT IS HARMFUL AND WE ARE BETTER OFF WITHOUT THOSE THAT ARE USELESS LUXURIES AND DONT HELP OUR PEOPLE OR OUR COUNTRY OR OUR NATION..SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WORDS BUT I WOULD DEEPLY APPRECIATE IT IF U COULD PASS THIS ON TO MR PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS WIFE. GOD BLESS THEM AND KEEP THEM IN HIS GOOD GRACE PROTECT THEM AND GUIDE THEM SO THAT GODS CREATIONS ARE NOT A RUIN IN THE PAST BUT A VIBRANT BEAUTIFUL COHESIVE NATION THAT LOVES ONE ANOTHER AND TAKES CARE OF ONE ANOTHER IF THEY ARE IN NEED REGARDLESS OF COLOR, RACE,INCOME, OR WHERE THEY MIGHT BE LOCATED ON THIS BEAUTIFUL EARTH. GOD GAVE US THE MINDS TO TAKE CARE OF THESE THINGS WHY CANT WE USE THEM?????? THANK YOU FORYOUR TIME I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS LENGTHY LETTER..GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU AND MAY YOU BE BLESSED WITH GOOD HEALTH PROSPERITY AND GOOD WILL TO ALL . I AM TOTALLY DISABLED AND LOVE MY "MOTHER N LAW TO BE" I'VE KNOWN HER FOR 14 YEARS . SHE'S 82 HAS ALZHEIMERS STAGE 4 AND NO MEANS TO TAKE CARE OF HERSELF LITERALLY CANT DO ANYTHING. THE FINACIAL BURDENS ETC THE COST OF CARE ..OF HOMES..OF ANYTHING ANYMORE AND HER SON IS A DISABLED VET HE WAS IN THE ARMY ..AN EOD SPECIALIST DETONATED BOMBS AND HIS ARM HAS RODS AND PINS IN IT AND HE HAS SCOLIOSIS AND DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE AS WELL AS A MOUNTAIN OF OTHER PROBLEMS..AND HE HAS BEEN WAITING 4 YEARS FOR A COURT DATE FOR HIS SOCIAL SECURITY ..BUT HE IS ALREADY 70% DISABLED BY THE GOVT AS FAR AS THE VA GOES BUT SOCIAL SECURITY HAS DENIED HIM 3 TIMES ..THEY SAID ITS NORMAL THEY ALWAYS DENY AND ARE VERY BACKLOGGED......WOW FINALLY THEY SET A DATE...ITS VERY HARD ESPECIALLY BEING TOTALLY DISABLED....WE HAVE SUFFERED GREATLY AND FOOD, SHELTER ,PRESCRIPS, AND JUST NECCESSITIES HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT BUT WE ARE SURVIVORS WE MAY NOT LIVE A VERY LONG LIFE (IF THATS GODS WISH SO BE IT )BUT HOPEFULLY WHILE WE ARE HERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THRU OUR PAIN AND SUFFERING FOR OTHERS AFTER US. DONT GET ME WRONG THERE ARE MANY MANY OTHERS HERE IN THE STATES AND ABROAD WHO ARE SUFFERING THE GREATEST OF ALL ) PLEASE WOULD YOU ADD THEM AND MY ONLY FAMILY TO YOUR PRAYERS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ALL THE GOOD YOU DO ! GOD BLESS EVERYONE SINCERELY TERI D. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE ANY ADVICE OR IF U CAN TELL US OF ANYTHING THAT WILL HELP PLEASE WRITE TO US 8706 BLOSSOM LN LOUISVILLE KY 40242 THANK YOU KIRBY F AND CARING.COM I'M GLAD YOU ARE HERE FOR ALL OF US WHO CARE. SORRY FOR MY GRAMMAR THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO WRITE. THX AGAIN

'If you had five minutes with Obama, what would you tell him about family caregiving?' posted by Kirby F @ {post.created_at.to_s(:post_time)}

Kirby F — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:45:44 -0000

We all know that family caregiving can be deeply rewarding, but it is also unpaid, can be solitary, and riddled with hard choices.

We want your caregiving experiences to be heard. What kinds of help and support would you have had liked to had available? What have you found the most frustrating? What, in your opinion, needs to change to better allow family members to care for their loved ones?

Thank you, on behalf of those you're caring for, future generations of caregivers who may benefit from you sharing your story and Caring.com.

* Update: we took down the poll, are compiling results and sharing them with the Health Care Working Team.