More than 40 million Americans are family caregivers – Taking care of aging parents, ailing partners, children with disabilities or other loved ones.

Family caregiving is a labor of love, but it can also be difficult – emotionally, physically and financially. Many caregivers put their own health and financial security at risk for the sake of their loved one. They often feel isolated at work or in their communities, unsure of where to go for resources or support.

AARP is working to make the big responsibilities of family caregivers a little bit easier. 

Take Action Now

Want to get involved?  Send your name, organization, and email to caregiving2018@aarp.org and let us know if you (1) want to learn more and actively engage or (2) want to be kept in the loop. Looking to take action today? Here are some ideas and resources.

• Share Prepare to Care with family caregivers, healthcare providers, and caregiving organizations. Email to order hard copies of the publications.
• Use the Employer Caregiving Toolkit to assess your organization’s supports and explore best practices.
• Share resource websites with family caregivers so they can learn tips, find services and support.
• Share important content with us from your organization or community.
• Share promising community and in-person programs with us that could be scaled nationwide.
• Share your caregiving story at aarp.org/iheartcaregiving.

Summit in Review

Welcome & Setting the Stage

• Holly Robinson Peete - Actress and advocate
• Nancy LeaMond - Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer, AARP

Political: Family Caregiving in Congress, Moderated by NBC’s Peter Alexander

Family caregiving doesn’t discriminate by age, gender, or political ideology—it eventually touches every family. NBC White House Correspondent, Peter Alexander, will talk with Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) about policies that work for family caregivers, including the RAISE Family Caregivers Act.

Technology: Robots and VR and AI, Oh My! What’s Next for the Modern Caregiver? Moderated by MSNBC’s Richard Lui

What does family caregiving look like in the internet age? Can artificial intelligence help cut across geographic boundaries, economic barriers, and even patient conditions to help support family caregivers? What are the challenges that are too big even for tech to tackle? The nation’s top tech leaders will look into the future at how developing technologies will provide real solutions for caregivers.

• Dr. Shahram Ebadollahi – Vice President, Innovations & Chief Science Officer, IBM Watson Health Group
• Seth Sternberg - Co-founder and CEO, Honor
• Larry Unrein - Global Head of the Private Equity Group, J.P. Morgan Asset Management
• Dan Trigub - Director of Healthcare Partnerships, Lyft
• Kriti Vichare - Director of Innovation, USPS

Spotlight Conversation: Caregiving for Veterans with United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin, Senator Elizabeth Dole, and Lee Woodruff, author and co-founder, Bob Woodruff Foundation.

Military families know that service doesn’t stop when troops come home. Family caregivers are the frontline helping America’s veterans with the physical and psychological aftermath of serving their country.

Partners: How Do We Cut Through the Clutter to Provide Real Solutions for Caregivers? Moderated by Jean Setzfand, AARP Senior Vice President

Most family caregivers are not formally trained to provide care --they are often overworked and underprepared at one of the most emotionally taxing times of their lives. Non-profits and government agencies can make caregiving easier by working together, leveraging others’ strengths, and reducing duplication.

• Beth Kallmyer - Vice President, Care and Support, Alzheimer’s Association
• Alicia Lara – Senior Vice President, Impact, United Way Worldwide
• Chuck Westbrook - Senior Vice President, Cancer Control Programs and Services, American Cancer Society
• Jonathan Webb - Vice President, Corporate Alliances, Grants and Social Enterprise, American Diabetes Association

Lunchtime Roundtable: Women Leading on Caregiving

Studies confirm what we all know intuitively - the majority of family caregivers are women. We’ll spotlight the specific financial and work issues women face as they take the lead in family caregiving.

• Jean Chatzky - Financial Editor of NBC’s TODAY Show and AARP Financial Ambassador
• Lisa Kassenaar - Senior Editor, Voice of America
• Holly Robinson Peete - Actress, author, talk-show host, activist and philanthropist
• Lee Woodruff - Author and co-founder, Bob Woodruff Foundation

Harnessing the Power of Storytelling to Support Caregivers - Scott Kaiser, Chief Innovation Officer, The Motion Picture and Television Fund

Harnessing the Power of Storytelling to Support Caregivers - Lance Robertson, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator of the Adminstration for Commmunity Living, kicks off the community discussion with remarks about his pillars for the Adminstrationfor Community Living and the Administration's support for caregivers.

Community: Connecting Caregivers & Healthcare Providers for Better Outcomes - Moderated by Jean Chatzky

Everyone understands the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, but not everyone recognizes that family caregivers are a key part of the equation too. Including family caregivers leads to better outcomes for everyone. Healthcare providers, along with community and social service organizations, are setting new expectations for including family caregivers in important health conversations and decisions.

• Phylene Wiggins - Senior Director of Community Investments, Santa Barbara Foundation
• Maria Zamora - Vice President of Senior Care Services, AltaMed Health Services
• Nancy Hesse - President and CEO, Cancer Treatment Center of America at Eastern Regional Medical Center

Breaking New Ground – Corporate Social Responsibility and a Signature Announcement from Care.com's Sheila Marcelo with Voice of America Senior Editor Lisa Kassenaar

Employers: Policies and Cultures that Work - Moderated by Jeremy Nobel

Savvy employers and human resource directors can see the future and are implementing smart policies and benefits to support family caregivers in their workforces—offerings that also help attract and retain strong employees. Major employers are at the forefront of a sea-change that is making America’s workplaces better both for caregivers and employers’ productivity.

• Erik Sossa - Vice President, Global Benefits & Wellness, PepsiCo
• Richard McDonald - Head of Global Benefits & Vendor Management, Johnson & Johnson
• Michael Weiner - EY Assist Leader, EY
• Scott Frisch - Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, AARP

Wrap Up & Next Steps - Bob Stephen, Vice President for Health and Family, AARP