Rosalyn Carter once said there are only four kinds of people in the world:

Those who have been caregivers.

Those who are currently caregivers.

Those who will be caregivers.

And those who will need a caregiver.

By 2030, adults older than 65 are expected to reach 20 percent of the population. In 2011, almost 44 million adult family caregivers were taking care of someone 50 years of age or older.

This trend will continue to rise as the population continues to age.

There are an estimated 500,000 unpaid family caregivers in Arkansas, many of whom have full time jobs and other responsibilities that can lead to caregiver stress.

The UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, the UAMS Centers on Aging and the Schmieding Program offer a variety of programs and services to support healthy aging and resources for the family caregiver.

We have seven Centers on Aging throughout the state (see the digital edition for location information) that seek to improve the quality of life of older adults and their families through programs and free community education. We also offer free family caregiver workshops and other resources for the family caregiver through our Schmieding Program at eight locations. These programs are designed to assist caregivers as they navigate the journey of caring for a loved one. We have several programs that specialize in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia.

We are continually expanding services and resources to serve each community throughout our great state. I personally welcome you to join us in our mission to improve the lives of older adults.

Dr. Amy Leigh Overton-McCoy
Interim Director, UAMS Centers on Aging