American Indian caregivers policy: a case study: an analysis with findings of the barriers to federally funded and state and tribally administered caregiver programs in Western Washington state

Under this Caregiver Policy Study researchers learned from state and county informants about their experience attempting to implement policy and provide services to elder American Indians and Alaska Natives. Tribal [...] American Indian governments located in a region west of the Cascade mountain range and the government of the state of Washington offer programs to serve the needs of a growing American Indian elder and disabled population through the services of individuals caring for family members and also individuals employed to provide care. The American Indian and Alaska Native elder population that is disabled as a result of dementia rely on the care and help of an estimated 3,160 (1) individuals in tribal communities (the vast majority of whom are women) on and near Indian reservations and in cities in Washington. Tribal governments and the state government depend on federal program support to provide elder American Indian assistance. To achieve effective benefit for elder American Indians, direct assistance and support services have been defined under federal legislation to be delivered by the state of Washington through the Agency on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging working at the county level. Tribal governments also deliver support and services through caregiver programs and elder programs. Despite these efforts, support and assistance are often obstructed and qualitatively diminished for those providing care to elders and for assistance directly available to elder American Indians and Alaskan Natives.