AMERICUS, Ga. (WRBL) – The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers is one step closer to leading the way as the nation’s first caregiver database.

The institute is located in Americus, Georgia and hopes its creation will help compile information to better know, understand, and serve caregivers in Georgia and all across the country.

The Executive Director for The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, Dr. Jennifer Olsen, said it has been a work in progress to ensure the funds would be used in the best way possible.

“This information will help us to understand some of the burdens and challenges that caregivers face, as well as I’d say some caregiver characteristics,” Dr. Olsen said. “I often think about, we know that there are one in five adults in Georgia who are serving in a family caregiver role, but we know very little about what are both positive and negative factors for that journey”

The $1.1 million investment is large in part due to funding secured from legislation lead by Congressman Sandford D. Bishop Jr. The funding is being provided through the passing of House Resolution 2471, a piece of legislation that he says impacts everyone.

“This legislation touchers the lives of every American in so many ways – all impacting their quality of life” Congressman Bishop said. “I was proud to co-author and lead the effort to pass this funding bill.”

Congressman Bishop co-authored the bill which provides funding to Georgia’s Second Congressional District and directly supports programs from healthcare to infrastructure.

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers fell within this legislation, and Dr. Olsen was thrilled about it considering this is an issue Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has been committed to.

“This project specifically speaks to something Mrs. Carter and I worked on as we were planning the future for caregivers,” Dr. Olsen said. “And that is, there are things we know about caregivers, financially health, physical health, mental health, and there are so many things we don’t know. Our job at the institute is to call out those things we don’t know and call for changes and this platform will help us do that.”

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers says the database investment is a three year project.