Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com

Up to 12 community colleges will receive $25,000 grants to establish or expand caregiver training programs.

The grants will be awarded through the Caregiving Project for Older Americans, with funding from MetLife Foundation. Project officials said a critical lack of caregivers for elders made it necessary to renew the training initiative for a second year.

"We have a growing caregiving crisis in our country," said Dr. Kenneth Knapp, project manager for The Caregiving Project and senior research analyst at the International Longevity Center-USA. "Increasingly, there are too few caregivers, both paid and unpaid, and too many people needing care."

Community colleges have the ability to provide affordable, quality caregiver training to both family caregivers and paid care workers, Knapp said. As such, this year's training initiative centers on the development of new programs to train caregivers, promote skills, advance the quality of care, and provide opportunities for career development.

Boomers are facing a particular problem as they head into retirement. Not only are many boomer-age nurses about to retire, but funding for health programs is in sorry shape.

Proposals are currently being accepted and emphasize innovation in the design, management, and implementation of caregiver training programs. Final selection of colleges to receive grants will be made in July.