CMS Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO) July Virtual Panel Discussion

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO) is pleased to announce:

Virtual Panel Discussion: Supporting Family Caregivers of Older Adults through Times of Stress and Isolation: A Panel Discussion

Date/Time: Thursday July 16, 3:00 – 4:00 pm EDT

Register here.

In April, Resources for Integrated Care (RIC) held a highly attended webinar on supporting caregivers of older adults through times of stress and isolation. Due to continued interest in this topic, MMCO is sponsoring a panel discussion offering additional information in response to audience questions. We also encourage you to view the recording of the April event, along with the accompanying Resource Guide.

Over 34 million individuals in the United States provide unpaid care for an older adult,[1] including many individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. The emotional, physical, and financial impact of caregiving can lead caregivers to experience stress, depression, anxiety, and other health problems.[2] The COVID-19 emergency continues to raise additional challenges and uncertainties for caregivers of older adults. Panelists will discuss strategies for supporting caregivers of older adults with depression; assisting caregivers who live apart from their loved ones, including those in rural areas; addressing caregiver grief; and strategies for engaging caregivers virtually.

Featured speakers:

• Kathy Kelly, MPA; Executive Director, Family Caregiver Alliance
• Erin E. Emery-Tiburcio, PhD, ABPP; Associate Professor of Geriatric and Rehabilitation Psychology and Geriatric Medicine and Co-Director of the Center for Excellence in Aging Rush University Medical Center
• Bryan Godfrey, MA, MSW, LCSW; Care Management Social Worker, UNC Geriatrics Specialty Clinic

Intended Audience:

This panel discussion is intended for a wide range of stakeholders, including frontline workers; staff at health plans and other health care and community-based organizations who are interested in strategies and programs for supporting caregivers of older adults.

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[1] National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP Public Policy Institute. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.caregiving.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2015_CaregivingintheUS_Final-Report-June-4_WEB.pdf.

[2] Family Caregiver Alliance. (2016). Depression and Caregiving. Retrieved from https://www.caregiver.org/depression-and-caregiving.