Donna Edna
Shalala has served
as president of the
University of Miami
since 2001. Prior to
her appointment as
University of Miami
President, she
served for eight
years as Secretary
of Health and Human
Services under
President Clinton.
She was awarded the
Presidential Medal
of Freedom, the
nation's highest
civilian honor, by
President George W.
Bush in June 2008.
Gary Barg:
You helped create
the Family
Caregiving
Initiative and the
National Family
Caregiver Support
Program. These
two major programs
have been of great
importance to family
caregivers since
they were initiated.
Are they living up
to your
expectations?
Donna
Shalala: I
think there are lots
of things going on
that are consistent
with what the
caregiver programs
expected. So far,
the reports I have
gotten back from
families are that
where they have a
recovery
coordinator, the
programs have been
tremendous and have
really relieved the
families. But
I think it is too
soon to tell because
the coordinators are
still being trained.
Gary Barg:
Another issue of
importance to
caregivers, of
course, is what
happens to our
wounded veterans and
their family
members. Can you
talk a little about
the outcome of the
commission?
Donna
Shalala:
A number of
recommendations were
related to families
and support systems
for families.
It is quite clear
that an individual’s
injury during the
war is devastating
to the families, and
families have
changed. Women are
working.
Mothers are working.
Everybody is trying
to pay the mortgage.
Picking up and
leaving and going to
a hospital,
particularly for
those with the most
complex illnesses,
is changing family
arrangements.
I think what was
important for us was
to make sure that
the government
provided the
resources, the
training and the
support systems that
were needed to make
sure that the family
could maintain their
quality of life, and
that there were
people doing
professional things
that families should
not be doing.
Gary Barg:
How is that being
accomplished?
Donna
Shalala:
The recovery
coordinators are an
example of that.
They really reflect
our understanding of
how to address the
complexity of some
of the injuries
involving multiple
specialists plus
multiple therapists;
and of the necessity
for one person to
understand both the
science, as well as
being able to
coordinate it, and
having the authority
to override some of
the bureaucracy to
get things done.
They make sure
people get
everything that is
eligible to them;
but not just the
individual that was
injured, but their
family as well.
Gary Barg:
What would you
consider the most
important piece of
advice that you have
for family
caregivers?
Donna
Shalala:
I think that there
is help for them.
Keeping themselves
healthy is as
important as what
they are doing for
their loved ones.
It is important that
they find some
balance.
