Caring for the Aging and Chronically Ill

Sacramento, CA, 2000

In 1999, a staff member at Capital Public Radio (CPR) nearly lost her father when he had a massive heart attack. It was certainly difficult for her to see her dad lying in a hospital bed, but it turned out that the most challenging part was yet to come. It was this challenge that served as the inspiration for CPR and California State University-Sacramento's collaboration. The staff member's mother couldn't drive, so the only way she and her bedridden husband could get food and medicine was if family members gave her a lift.

Soon the family's challenge grew beyond seeing their father in pain. The grown children ended up not only becoming their parents' taxi service, but also doing all of their shopping and most of their cooking and cleaning. The kids were forced to coordinate much of life for Mom and Dad—in addition to ferrying their own kids to school and soccer practice, fighting the commute, and trying to have a “real life.” The staff member finally came to work in tears, crying, “Can't someone help us with this?”

Sacramento has a large population of older adults, along with a thriving infrastructure of service organizations designed to help older adults and their caregivers. Unfortunately, older Sacramentians and the people who care for them are often so challenged by the difficulties they face that they have little time or energy to research and seek out these services. Further, no one has bothered to ask these people what services would improve their lives.

California State University-Sacramento Gerontology surveyed older Sacramentians and their caregivers about these local services. This survey helped drive Capital Public Radio's on-air production, which consisted of 25 to 30 8 ½-minute features played over the course of 12 months on Morning Edition; CPR's monthly health program, Healing Health Care; and a new program, The Weekend Exchange. The information from the survey also helped focus a Web page, which serves as an up-to-date clearinghouse for information on programs for older adults and includes audio clips. A “Longevity Faire” was held, bringing older adults together with the people and information they need most, and included a film and art festival addressing issues facing older adults.

The partners received enthusiastic feedback from the community, including requests from a local medical facility to use the programming as instructional material.

Contact Information

KXJZ-FM (Capital Public Radio)
Carl Watanabe, Station Manager
Tel: 916-480-5905

California State University-Sacramento
Dr. Cheryl Osborne, Director, Department of Gerontology
Tel: 916-278-7163

Awards:

KXJZ Round Two
Healing Healthcare: Inside the Real E.R.
Best Investigative Reporting
— Northern California Radio & Television News Directors Association
Best Special News Program
— Northern California Radio & Television News Directors Association