Genworth Launches Caregiving Support Service for AARP Members
Genworth Financial has launched a caregiving support service for AARP members. AARP Caregiving Help and Advice offers care assessment, care planning and provider matching.
"Genworth's vision to help families facing a caregiving situation reflects a cultural fit with AARP's commitment to ensuring the well-being of the 50+ population," said David Mathis, AARP Services' senior vice president of Health Products and Services.
A recent survey of Americans 35 years old and older, sponsored by Genworth, shows that 72 percent of respondents viewed themselves as caregivers and nearly two-thirds of those (65 percent) said it took an urgent event, such as a hospital stay or emergency room visit, before they realized a loved one needed care.
One benefit of the new service is free access to a long-term care database with more than 90,000 providers, including public programs, to help people search for caregiving resources by location and type. Registered visitors to the Web site, including AARP members, can search the nationwide database to find local caregiving providers, rate caregiving providers, access supporting information to help guide them in their decision making and sign up for an e-newsletter. The database is available to AARP members and the general public here or on the AARP Web site.
Some additional findings from the Genworth-sponsored survey:
- 56 percent agreed with the statement that people don't often identify themselves as caregivers because they are only doing what's expected of them (as a daughter, as a spouse, etc.).
- The youngest group (35-44 years old) were more likely to notice that a care recipient needed help compared to the older group (65 years odl and older).
- As age drops the expectation to become a caregiver increases. According to the survey, 48 percent of responders 35-44 years old expect to be a caregiver in the future, while only 35 percent of responders 55-64 years old and 26 percent of responders 65 years old and older viewed themselves that way.
The telephone survey was conducted by ORC International's CARAVAN omnibus services between Jan. 19 and Jan. 22, 2012, and includes 894 Americans 35 years old or older living in private households.