By Diverse Elder Coalition & National Alliance for Caregiving

WHO WE ARE

This report is the product of a series of activities conducted by the Diverse Elders Coalition and its member organizations, and in partnership with the National Alliance for Caregiving, to better understand and highlight the lived experiences of diverse family caregivers for older adults. Founded in 2010, the Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC) advocates for policies and programs that improve aging in our communities as racially and ethnically diverse people; American Indians and Alaska Natives; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) people. In the decades to come, the communities represented by the DEC will collectively form the majority of older adults in the United States. The DEC is working to strengthen policies and programs to enhance the health and well-being of diverse elders; to educate and connect diverse older adults and their loved ones to key policy debates on aging; and to increase public support for issues that affect our communities.

Our member organizations—National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), National Caucus and Center on Black Aging (NCBA), National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA), SAGE (Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders), and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)—are influential players in the federal advocacy arena and experts in the distinctive needs of the racial, ethnic, political, and cultural communities they represent. Through their actions in their respective communities, they are viewed as trusted members who provide services and resources for diverse caregivers and their aging loved ones. Together, we are uniquely positioned to effectively reach our communities in rural areas, cities and regions throughout the United States. The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) was founded in 1996 and our mission is to build partnerships in research, advocacy, and innovation to make life better for family caregivers. Our work aims to support a society which values, supports, and empowers family caregivers to thrive at home, work, and life. As a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., we represent a coalition of more than 60 non-profit, corporate, and academic organizations; nearly 40 family support researchers with expertise in pediatric to adult care to geriatric care; and more than 50 advocates who work on national, state, and local platforms to support caregivers across the United States. In addition to our national work, NAC leads and participates in several global meetings on caregiving and long-term care, working closely with peer organizations in countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, India, Nepal, Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

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