Pearl Harbor Day

Today marks the 70th anniversary of our nation’s entry into World War II.  Smith Barid salutes the men and women of America's Greatest Generation for their service, their sacrifice, and their love of country.  We also note, with sadness and respect, that today marks the last formal meeting of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, which was originally founded in 1958 and has served Veterans and family members with grace and dignity since that time.

We would also like you to join us in recognizing the vital role of our Veterans' caregivers and honor them every day. "Family caregivers are the family members and loved ones who take care of the severely injured veterans who need help on a daily basis," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "These mothers, wives, fathers, husbands, and loved ones make tremendous sacrifices to be there every day for the veterans who served this nation. Their service allows veterans to stay in the homes they defended, surrounded by the loved ones they fought to protect."

Caregivers help veterans maintain a better quality of life and with more independence. As the veteran population ages and continues to increase, the role of caregivers as partners in supporting veterans is even more prevalent. As injured veterans return home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a growing population of younger service members who will need lifetime care.

More than 65 million parents, sons, daughters, spouses and others are family caregivers in the United States, but many remain anonymous, according to National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA). A key strategy to help identify family caregivers is to include questions about whether someone is, or has, a family caregiver on medical intake forms. "Without such information, the role of a family caregiver in the health and well-being of a person with a chronic condition is essentially negated. In some situations, it may be obvious that someone is or has a family caregiver, but if it isn't in the record, it may not be taken into account when developing a care plan," said NFCA president and CEO Suzanne Mintz.

Family caregiver resources can be found at the VA's caregiver website, www.caregiver.va.gov and NFCA's website, www.nfcacares.org.