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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2006

Governor Taft to Recognize Elder Caregivers for Their Selfless Contributions

COLUMBUS - Governor Bob Taft, Merle Grace Kearns, Director of the Ohio Department of Aging, and members of the Ohio legislature will honor nine outstanding elder caregivers on Wednesday, May 17, from 4:00 - 6:30 p.m. in the Statehouse Atrium in Columbus.

"Everyday these individuals selflessly give their time and energy to provide the best quality of life for their loved ones," Taft said. "While today's honorees come from different areas of the state, they all share the commitment that make them the foundation for Ohio's long-term care system."

"These special men and women help us to focus on challenges faced by caregivers and the need to find ways to help family caregivers as our population ages," said Kearns.

2006 Ohio Caregivers of the Year include:

• Rebecca Brooks (Columbus) - As a nurse, Rebecca Brooks took care of people for a living. Now, she cares for her mother out of love. She uses teamwork to care for Ruth; utilizing her daughters, neighbors, a live-in caregiver and adult day care to support her efforts. Becky provides the daily care, but knows that having time for herself makes her a better caregiver.
• Virgie Cajka (Woodsfield) - Virgie Cajka was the sole caregiver for her husband Ronald for the past six years, until his recent passing. Although she has physical ailments that sometimes made caregiving difficult, Virgie took care of all of Ron's personal care needs and activities of daily living and always placed the needs of others before her own.
• Jack Cummins (Massillon) - Louise and Jack Cummins have been married for more than 48 years and always enjoyed traveling. When Louise was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2001, Jack started a new journey as caregiver to his spouse.
• Alverda Curren (Ashland) - Alverda Curren is a loving wife and daughter. She cares for her husband, Ed, and her mother, Margaret. She takes good care of her family, never complains and has enabled them to remain at home.
• Laurel (Paul) DuBeck (Zanesville) - Laurel DuBeck has been a caregiver and serves as a Caregiver Educator for the Area Agency on Aging Region 9, Inc. Drawing on her own experiences, Laurel is able to help other caregivers in need. She provides special insight and empathy on caring for a loved one.
• Mary Ann Mishler (Troy) - Mary Ann Mishler has been caring for her husband, Milton, since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease more than 10 years ago. She provides loving care for him in the comfort of their home, knowing he wants to be there with her. She also shares her wisdom with other caregivers as a support group facilitator.
• Sharon Pinkelman (Maumee) - Sharon Pinkelman lovingly cares for her mother, Marie, and 29-year-old daughter, Farrah, who has a developmental disability. Sharon also shares her experiences with local medical students to help them learn about the role of family in caregiving and understand the importance of monitoring the caregiver's health, both mental and physical.
• Norma Smith (Lockland) - Norma Smith lovingly cared for her husband, Frank, for 10 years, after he suffered a stroke. She currently cares for her brother, Wayne, who lives with her, and her sister, Billie Jean, on the weekends. Norma has been caring for others her entire life. "I feel it is my calling to help people," says Norma.
• Charles Waddell (Portsmouth) - Charles Waddell has set aside his personal relationships and interests to ensure his mother, Mildred, receives the care she needs. Mildred requires round-the-clock care and he is happy to give it to her. He also works full time and personally finances caregiver assistance when he is at work.

Statistics on Caregivers (From the Family Caregiver Alliance):

• Ohio caregivers provide 80 percent of all long-term care services that would otherwise cost Ohio taxpayers more than $10.4 billion each year.
• 34 million Americans (16 percent of the population) provide care to adults age 50 and over.
• 8.9 million caregivers (20 percent of adult caregivers) care for someone age 50 and over who have dementia.
• The majority of caregivers are 35-64 years old.
• Many caregivers of older people are also elderly. Of those caring for someone over 65, the average age is 63 years; one third are in fair to poor health.
• A significant portion of those in the workforce are also providing elder care to family members. Between 25 and 35 percent of all workers report that they are currently providing or have recently provided care to someone 65 or older.
• Among baby boomer caregivers (aged 50-64 years old), an estimated 60 percent are currently employed.

Bios and photos of the 2006 Elder Caregivers of the Year will be available May 15, on the Department of Aging's website at www.goldenbuckeye.com/caregiver/. There will also be 16 Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame honorees inducted at the event. Novartis celebrates Ohio's seniors as sponsor of the event.