MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women and Girls Presents “Who Cares?”

The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women and Girls invites you to an event to learn about the state of caregiving in the MetroWest and throughout the Commonwealth on Wednesday, March 29 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Upper Town Hall, located at 703 Washington Street in Holliston, Massachusetts.

Senate President Karen Spilka and Jessica Costantino, Director of Advocacy for AARP Massachusetts, will speak about the current state of caregiving facing families, and particularly women, in Massachusetts.  The health crisis created by COVID-19 exposed many stress points in the economy for workers with families, including the struggle to care for both children and the elderly.

Caregiving is recognized by the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women as a key issue because of the economic impact the pandemic has had on women. Research suggests that the rate of women participating in the workforce in Massachusetts has been set back by more than a decade—to levels not seen since right after the Great Recession.

Last session, Senate President Karen Spilka, introduced a ‘moonshot’ to reimagine an intergenerational care system that would support families, and particularly women, who have been forced to give up careers to care for family of all ages. 

Jessica Costantino works on key legislative and advocacy priorities and issues relative to family caregiving. AARP is fighting to support America’s nearly 48 million family caregivers across the nation and 844,000 in the Commonwealth who help make it possible for older Americans and other loved ones to live independently at home—where they want to be.

The mission of the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women is to advocate on behalf of MetroWest women. It seeks to do so by listening, learning, and informing its members about the issues that matter to the majority of women in the region; determining effective outreach strategies; and developing a robust list of stakeholders. These efforts are intended to improve its ability to play a role in the support and advancement of women and the promotion of their rights and opportunities.