Introduction

Message from Senator Elizabeth Dole
Dole Img
Five years ago I became a caregiver when my husband Bob spent 11 months at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. During that time, and since, I’ve witnessed the incredible challenges facing the caregivers of our wounded warriors.

Shortly after this experience, I established Caring for Military Families: the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to raise awareness and support for America’s hidden heroes. Right now there are 5.5 million military caregivers across America, according to a RAND Corporation study my Foundation commissioned. These caregivers have urgent needs right now as they’re tending to multiple and serious wounds—both visible and invisible. In addition to their direct caregiving role, they must maintain emotional stability, manage medications and rehab, handle the family's financial and legal matters and often raise children as well.

Because of the complexity of many caregiving situations and the increasing number of primary caregivers who are employed outside the home and are serving without a dedicated support network, my Foundation partnered with the Military Officers Association of America, the Public Counsel Law Center and the American Bar Association to establish the LawyersForHeroes collaboration to provide a package of legal resources for military caregivers from multiple generations.

The MOAA Caregiver Guide, which earned the prestigious Power of A Summit Award in 2015 from the American Society of Association Executives, is a compilation of best practices to assist caregivers with the legal and financial aspects of caregiving. In addition, the American Bar Association and the Public Counsel Law Center are cooperating to provide caregivers a next-step legal resource to address complex caregiving situations requiring the assistance of legal counsel. In many cases, these services are provided free of charge to qualified military people, veterans and their caregivers.

Military caregivers toil for years, even decades, in quiet humble service and have earned our deepest respect and admiration. I'm grateful to the Military Officers Association of America, the American Bar Association and the Public Counsel Law Center for helping to meet this urgent need.

American Bar Association

Public Counsel

Tips for Lifelong Caregiving