Unpaid family caregivers are the country’s largest source of long-term care services, and those caring for an ill or injured Veteran face unique challenges in supporting reentry into civilian life. A recent RAND study commissioned by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation found that that many of the 5.5 million Americans caring for ill or wounded Service Members, especially the 1.1 million who are caring for post-9/11 Veterans, have significant gaps in support. Compared to other Veteran caregivers and civilian caregivers, those caring for post-9/11 Service Members are significantly younger, more likely to juggle their caregiving responsibilities with a full- or part-time job, and less likely to have a support network. They are also more likely to care for someone with a behavioral health condition such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These findings prompted the Foundation to form Hidden Heroes: The National Coalition for Military Caregivers, of which Atlas Research is a member.
Atlas is currently supporting the National Veterans Caregiver Training Program (NVCTP), established through the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 to aid the growing number of caregivers facing limited resources and lack of training. Through this program, caregivers learn about common issues and challenges that disabled Veterans face at home, and how to work with their Veterans to create care plans to achieve healing goals and promote wellness—for the caregivers and their families as well as their Veterans.
Since NVCTP began in 2011, Atlas and contract partner organizations have trained and certified more than 26,000 caregivers. In addition to developing the curriculum for NVCTP, Atlas has also developed courses for the Uniformed Services Organization (USO) designed for the caregivers of Recovering Service Members (RSM).
In addition, Atlas is conducting the following activities in honor of caregivers during National Family Caregivers Month:
- Throughout November, Atlas is supporting 43 Caregiver trainings in 23 cities across the U.S. These trainings are expected to reach close to 600 caregivers. The training topics cover managing stress, problem solving and effective communication, self-care, and utilizing technology specific to caregiving. Led by two trainers, each training is three hours long and provides necessary skills to caregivers of Veterans from all eras of combat.
- On November 13 at 1:00 p.m. Central/2:00 p.m. Eastern, Atlas will co-host a webinar for Veteran caregivers, Beyond the Blues: When Sadness Becomes Depression. This session will help caregivers recognize the signs and symptoms of depression related to caregiving, understand available treatment options, and learn specific tools to help manage stress. Participants can register at www.easterseals.com/carewebinar-reg.