Lotsa Helping Hands Launches The Year of Helping Hands to Address Caregiving Crisis

WELLESLEY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Because worthwhile resolutions can’t wait until January, this November Lotsa Helping Hands is releasing its New Year’s Resolution early – a promise to help our nation’s 65 million caregivers through The Year of Helping Hands campaign. Family caregivers caring for aging loved ones and those with chronic disease or disability provide 80 percent of unpaid care, and as a result also experience challenges of their own. During November, National Family Caregivers Month, Lotsa Helping Hands is inviting the entire nation to join The Year of Helping Hands with a promise to help a caregiver in 2013.

“Our caregivers can’t wait any longer for the help they need. Today we’re launching The Year of Helping Hands to crowdsource and revolutionize the way we approach the caregiving crisis”

According to an AARP report, 17 percent of America’s full-time work force serve as caregivers. Their combined responsibilities result in more than 126 million missed work days annually, with an estimated $25.5 billion in lost productivity.

“Our caregivers can’t wait any longer for the help they need. Today we’re launching The Year of Helping Hands to crowdsource and revolutionize the way we approach the caregiving crisis,” said Hal Chapel, Co-Founder and CEO, Lotsa Helping Hands. “This is an issue that affects us all, and we have the potential, individually and collectively, to make a big difference in the national caregiving crisis. We’re confident through our online caring communities and now with the momentum of The Year of Helping Hands campaign, we’ll galvanize a nation of volunteers to provide the help that caregivers so desperately need.”

Lotsa Helping Hands knows how to make a difference in caregivers’ lives. For more than five years, Lotsa has powered online caring communities that help restore health and balance to caregivers’ lives, bringing together caregivers and volunteers online to organize daily life during times of medical crisis or caregiver exhaustion in neighborhoods and communities worldwide. Caregivers benefit from the gifts of much needed help, emotional support, and peace of mind, while volunteers find meaning in lending a hand and giving back to those in need. To date, more than 1.2 million members have lent a hand through a Lotsa Helping Hands community.

To make a promise to help a caregiver in 2013 – The Year of Helping Hands – and join Lotsa’s nation of helping hands please visit www.lotsahelpinghands.com/ipromise.

About Lotsa Helping Hands

Lotsa Helping Hands powers Private and Open online caring communities that help restore health and balance to caregivers’ lives. More than 65 million people serve as caregivers for aging loved ones and those with chronic disease or disability. The free service brings together caregivers and volunteers through online communities that organize daily life during times of medical crisis or caregiver exhaustion in neighborhoods and communities worldwide. Caregivers benefit from the gifts of much needed help, emotional support, and peace of mind, while volunteers find meaning in giving back to those in need. To date, nearly 1.3 million members have lent a hand through a Lotsa Helping Hands community and more than 50 national nonprofit organizations partner with Lotsa to support caregivers. For more information about Lotsa Helping Hands, visit www.lotsahelpinghands.com.