Cigna and the Cigna Foundation Help Improve Health and Well-being of Unpaid Family Caregivers in Massachusetts
November 25 2019 - 1:00PM
Business Wire
Global health service company Cigna and the Cigna Foundation
will offer a total of $50,000 in funding to help advance the work
of non-profit organizations in Massachusetts that support the
health and well-being of unpaid family caregivers.
In Massachusetts, 840,000 individuals are unpaid caregivers1;
and, as the population continues to age, that number is expected to
rise significantly. Caregivers often step into their role quickly
and with little preparation, which places a burden on their own
health and well-being.
Caregiving can take a significant physical and emotional toll.
According to studies cited by the Family Caregiver Alliance2:
- One-tenth (11%) of caregivers say that caregiving has caused
their health to decline.
- Nearly three-quarters (72%) say they don’t go to the doctor as
often as they should, and more than half (55%) have missed a
medical appointment.
- About a quarter (26%) say it’s hard on them emotionally; they
also have higher stress levels and say caregiving makes them feel
frustrated, angry, drained, guilty or helpless.
- An estimated 40% - 70% have clinically significant symptoms of
depression.
- Women who spend 9+ hours a week caring for an ill or disabled
spouse increase their risk of heart disease two-fold. One-fifth
(21%) of women caregivers say they have mammograms less often.
The financial support from Cigna and the Cigna Foundation will
help address these challenges by funding programs that make
preventive and respite care more accessible and affordable for
caregivers, and enable caregivers to take better care of their own
existing health conditions.
“It’s very common for spouses and other caregivers to focus on
their loved ones first while putting their own needs last,” said
Mark Butler, president of Cigna New England. “We hope to change
that dynamic through this funding and help caregivers realize they
can’t do their best for their loved ones when they feel depleted
and their own physical and emotional needs aren’t being met.”
The deadline to submit a proposal is April 15, 2020. To learn
more about eligibility criteria, non-profit organizations should
email CignaNewEnglandCares@cigna.com.
Cigna is a founding member of the recently-announced
Massachusetts Caregiver Coalition, a collaboration of businesses
from diverse industry sectors that is working with the state to
assess and address the needs of unpaid family caregivers in
Massachusetts.
About the Cigna Foundation
The Cigna Foundation, established in 1962, is a private
foundation funded by contributions from Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI)
and its subsidiaries. The Cigna Foundation supports organizations
sharing its commitment to enhancing the health of individuals and
families, and the well-being of their communities, with a special
focus on those communities where Cigna employees live and work.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company
dedicated to improving the health, well-being and peace of mind of
those we serve. Cigna delivers choice, predictability,
affordability and access to quality care through integrated
capabilities and connected, personalized solutions that advance
whole person health. All products and services are provided
exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna
Corporation, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company,
Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company
of North America, Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York, Express
Scripts companies or their affiliates. Such products and services
include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical,
dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits,
and other related products including group life, accident and
disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in over 30
countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 165 million customer
relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®,
including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit
www.cigna.com.
1 AARP Public Policy Institute, Number of Family Caregivers,
Hours, and Economic Value of Caregiving, by State, 2017:
https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2019/11/family-caregivers-data-by-state.pdf
2 Family Caregiver Alliance in cooperation with California’s
Caregiver Resource Center and reviewed by Moira Fordyce, MD, MB,
ChB, Caregiver Health:
https://www.caregiver.org/caregiver-health
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Mark Slitt 860.226.2092 Mark.Slitt@cigna.com
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