What do wandering alert systems, telehealth monitoring systems, caregiver television programs, medication tracking systems and online health diary systems all have in common?  These are descriptions of some of our Caregiver Friendly Award winners from the past eight years.  They also represent thousands of hours of loving labor by their producers and manufactures, all working with one thought in common, “What can I do to help the life of the family caregiver become easier?”

Every year, we are truly impressed by the quality of the entries into the award program; but what I am most excited about is the wide variety of industries that are now sending in entries and the incredible work they are producing with family caregivers in mind.  This year, once again we look forward to presenting great works of even more creative minds dedicated to solving the challenges we face as family caregivers.   For those organizations wishing to nominate a product, media, service or book for the Caregiver Friendly Awards program, the deadline is the end of next month.

We at Today’s Caregiver magazine and caregiver.com launched the Caregiver Friendly Awards in 2002 to celebrate products, services, programs, books and media designed with the needs of caregivers in mind. Entries for products include items such as wheelchairs, technology systems, consumer medical devices, disposable products and accessible devices. Among the entries for services and programs are insurance, medical and EAP programs, care and case management organizations, long-term care facilities, homecare and transportation organizations, as well as non-profit agencies. The entries for books are caregiver friendly (informative, educational, inspirational, and insightful). Areas encompassed by the media entries are audio, video and Web site producers.

Award winners will be recognized at Today’s Caregiver magazine’s Annual Fort Lauderdale Fearless Caregiver Conference. Winners will also be highlighted on caregiver.com (where last year’s winners can presently be found) and in the pages of Today’s Caregiver magazine.

Please share your labors of love with family caregivers and let them know that someone out there is thinking of them.  Award entry applications can be found online at www.caregiver.com or by calling 800-829-2734.

Now, get back to your workshops, laboratories and typewriters (showing my age). We look forward to discovering which nominees will be able to join the ranks of the Caregiver Friendly Award winners in 2011.

Caregiver Friendly Awards Nomination Form

 

Gary Barg
Editor-in-Chief
gary@caregiver.com