Grantmaker Support to Caregivers of Family Members with Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Social workers and human service agencies are in the forefront as service providers to caregivers of family members with Alzheimer's Disease. Human service agencies often depend on foundation grantmakers to support needed programs. This article is based on a 1999 study to determine the extent to which grantmakers in the field of aging supported elder caregiving during the past five years. It presents an overview of philanthropic trends in family elder caregiving and examples of foundation supported programs for caregivers of Alzheimer's individuals. Grantmakers who demonstrated an interest in this field funded a range of programs including assessment, education, support, and respite programs that target unrecognized needs and address service gaps. Implications for Alzheimers service providers seeking funding are discussed.

Family Caregiving as a Service Niche for Agencies: Findings from a Study of Philanthropic Trends

“…Among the 50 initiatives, there was an overrepresentation of programs targeted to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers (Gutheil & Chernesky, 2001). The fact that respite was the single most frequently funded caregiving initiative is related to this population.…”