Please join us in sponsoring TOOLS For Independence®, a new newsletter for Boomers and caregivers on helpful aids for daily living.

BACKGROUND

Currently, over 13 million Boomers are caring for one or both of their parents. Another 21 million people across different age groups are caring for other family members, partners and/or friends. This experience is providing these caregivers with a glimpse into their own future as older adults. Focus groups conducted by the national Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) found that Boomers who are caregivers want access to trustworthy and reliable information about products and devices that will help ease their caregiving burdens as well as maintain their own health and independence as they age. 

The number of assistive technology products on the market is growing at a significant rate. In fact, they are becoming widely available in many stores, from the discount giants to specialty stores but consumers do not know about them or where to purchase them.  As more products are introduced, it will become even more difficult for consumers to learn about and stay abreast of what is available, as well as to be informed about other consumer experiences with new and existing products.  

Building on this need, the Independent Living Partnership, a California based non-profit, is launching TOOLS For Independence®, a monthly newsletter for caregivers and Boomers to help them locate and make informed purchasing decisions about independence technology products that can help them ease their caregiving burdens and make life at home easier and safer.

In convenience surveys of Boomers and other caregivers, 97% of those surveyed told us that they wanted to receive and read TOOLS For Independence® each month.  We presented our idea to several state-wide California agencies that provide services and support for caregivers and they were unanimous in their endorsement of our proposal to publish this new and badly needed information tool.

TOOLS For Independence® will be available in both print and electronic form.  The newsletter and its companion website feature will provide information on:

·    Products that are available and where to find them.

·    Unmet needs and how people are improvising to meet these needs (if they are)

·    Comparative information on the quality, durability and ease of use of competing products.

The website feature (located at www.TOOLSforIndependence.org) will include a Resource Center, discussion groups, a “Compare and Rate Products” section, a “What I Really Need” section, and mechanisms for online surveys and push-out products. These features are intended to help create an interactive user community as well as generate content for the newsletter and ancillary products.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The primary target audience for the newsletter is Boomer caregivers.  Secondary audiences include:

·    Non-caregiver Boomers

·    Seniors (60+) and adults with disabilities

·    Family and professional caregivers of seniors and adults with disabilities

·    Aging services network agencies, providers and organizations

·    Disability community agencies, associations and organizations

·    Employers (for their employee caregivers)

·    Technology companies, manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, etc.

·    Technology research centers and academic labs

Michael Carbine, editor of the publication, brings to the project 35 years of experience in the publishing industry, including editorial management, new product development and web content management. He also has several years experience working in the aging field. 

NEWSLETTER CONTENT

Each issue of the newsletter will include reports on products that make living at home easier and safer. Other topics will include unmet needs and how people are improvising to meet these needs, as well as discussions of the ease of use and durability of different products. Each issue will alert readers to useful resources and upcoming events, and will highlight links to helpful resources on the TOOLS website.

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF PROTOTYPE NEWSLETTER

Initially, test marketing of the newsletter is scheduled in the Southern California market in the Spring of 2008.  Following success of the prototypes in the test market, TOOLS For Independence® will expand to national marketing and distribution.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

You now have a unique opportunity to demonstrate your public benefit commitment to the significantly emergent caregiver consumer segment in our country through your important contribution to TOOLS:

·    As a Community Leader ($5,000), you / your company will be given front-page recognition in 15 issues of the newsletter, you will receive 250 free copies of each of the 3 trial issues of the newsletter, you will receive acknowledgement of your sponsorship on the website for 15 issues at no additional charge, you will receive complimentary posting of your business for one year in website’s virtual resource center, you will receive a 3/4 column ad free in each of the first three issues, AND you will qualify for a 20% discount on advertising you purchase for a full year of regular publication.

·    As a Benefactor ($2,500), you / your company will be given front-page recognition in 15 issues, you will receive 100 free copies of each of the 3 trial issues of the newsletter, you will receive acknowledgement of your sponsorship on the website at no additional charge, you will receive a 1/2 column ad free in each of the first three issues, AND you will qualify for a 20% discount on advertising you purchase for a full year of regular publication.

·    As a Sponsor ($1,000), you / your company will be recognized in 15 issues of the newsletter, you will receive 50 free copies of each of the 3 trial issues, you will receive acknowledgement of your sponsorship on the website at no additional charge, you will receive a 1/3 column ad free in each of the first three issues, AND you will qualify for a 20% discount on advertising you purchase for a full year of regular publication.

·    As a Good Neighbor ($500), you / your company will be recognized in the first three issues of the newsletter, you will receive 10 free copies of each of the 3 trial issues, you will receive acknowledgement of your sponsorship on the website, you will receive a 1/4 column ad in each of the issues, AND you will qualify for a 20% discount on advertising you purchase for a full year of regular publication.

·    As a Friend ($250 to help support publication of the 3 trial issues), you / your company will be recognized in the first three issues of the newsletter, you will receive a free subscription to the newsletter, you will receive acknowledgement of your sponsorship on the website, you will receive a 1/8 column ad in each of the 3 trial issues, AND you will qualify for a 20% discount on advertising you purchase for a full year of regular publication.

We hope you will join with us as we make this newsletter a success.

SPONSORSHIP SIGN-UP

To discuss the participation of your organization or business in this important project, or for answers to additional questions, please contact:

 Michael Carbine, Editor

Editor@TOOLSforIndependence.org

(760) 219-1684

Ray Mastalish, Associate Editor

AssociateEditor@TOOLSforIndependence.org

 Richard Smith, Managing Editor

executivedirector@livingpartnership.org

INDEPENDENT LIVING PARTNERSHIP

The Independent Living Partnership is an exempt 501(c)3 organization, incorporated in 1991, that works “To improve or preserve the independence and dignity of the elderly and persons with disabilities, their families and caregivers through the provision of services, education and access to empowering services and resources." 

We are committed to helping people lead more satisfying and rewarding lives, often in spite of significant health and mobility challenges.  Instead of creating dependency, the Partnership's life enriching programs educate, motivate, and assist people to strengthen or rebuild their social network, to access needed human and social services, and to continue to live successfully and independently in their communities.

To learn more about the Independent Living Partnership

please visit our website at

www.LivingPartnership.org

executivedirector@livingpartnership.org

TOOLS  is sponsored by

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