Evaluating the Effectiveness of National Policies Supporting Family Caregivers of Old Adults

Caregivers of family elders have diverse needs, many of which are not being met sufficiently. The purpose of this study was to analyze the congruency between family policy and the needs of family caregivers. Based on the rational policy model, a normative policy analysis of the economics of family caregiving, both its costs and benefits to individual families, corporations, and to society, was provided. A dynamic theoretical framework incorporating the social ecological perspective, role theory, and life course approach, was used to critique the effectiveness of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 (P.L. 103-3) and the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) of 2000 (Title III-E and Title VI-C). Combined, FMLA and NFCSP are effective in meeting the wide range of informal caregivers' financial, training, and support needs. The workplace-related policies of FMLA speak more to the financial assistance - albeit minimal - and work environment-structural components of caregiver support, while NFCSP pertains more to the training and supportive aspects of family caregiving support. However, workplace policies in support of family caregivers should be more individualized and current caregiver support programs should be expanded to align more closely with the needs of employees and citizens.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Human Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Human Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Kemp, Audrey June

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Stevenson, Michelle L.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Blieszner, Rosemary
• Henderson, Tammy L.

• policy
• NFCSP
• Family caregiving
• FMLA

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-07042005-022916

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/33884