The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving will host the 27th Annual Summit and Training Institute on Oct. 24, when First Lady Rosalynn Carter, together with leaders from the White House; the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Health and Human Services; AARP; and other organizations focused on caregiving will discuss solutions to America’s Caregiver Crisis. The summit’s purpose is to provide best practices and collaborative pathways for both professional caregivers and the estimated 66 million family caregivers in the United States.

Nearly one-third of the U.S. population cares for someone who is disabled, ill, or aging, and many of those in need are former service members. Since 9/11, more than 2.5 million servicemen and women have served our country, and hundreds of thousands have come home with mental and physical injuries that require caregiver support. Young spouses and aging parents are taking care of America's wounded warriors – in many cases, at the expense of their own health and well-being. At this Summit, RCI will also announce three new sites for its Operation Family Caregiver program, which coaches the families of newly returning service members and veterans to manage the difficulties they face when they return home. With nationwide reach via Skype, OFC currently offers assistance in-person in areas of high military concentration, including San Diego, Calif.; Killeen, Texas; Johnstown, Penn.; and Buffalo, NY.