Trends Impacting Public Policy Support for Caregiving Families

Public policy aimed at supporting the caregiving capacity of families has risen to prominence on the public agenda in the United States. Initiatives at the state and federal levels have created some initial services. Three trends that are pushing the issue of family caregiving to the surface are discussed, including large-scale social, demographic, and economic changes. The pressures on women from increased caregiving demands are discussed, along with the taken-for-granted cultural value placed on the home as a locus of care for family members who need assistance with common daily activities. Experiments at the state level with consumer-directed care and capitated wrap-around services are described. The authors argue that support for caregiving families is likely to remain a prominent concern of the public and policy makers for the foreseeable future.