IDAHO GOVERNOR C.L. “BUTCH” OTTER MAKES BIPARTISAN LIST OF “CAPITOL CAREGIVERS”

 

AARP Honors State Elected Officials for Helping Family Caregivers

Boise, ID – To recognize their work to support family caregivers in Idaho, AARP names Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter as a 2016 “Capitol Caregiver,” a bipartisan group of elected officials from more than 23 states.  These leaders have advanced policies to help family caregivers who are making it possible for older Idahoans to live independently in their homes and communities—where they want to be.

“AARP thanks Governor Otter for championing the Registered Nurse and Nursing Licensure Compacts this year,” says Lupe Wissel, state director of AARP Idaho, which serves more than 180,000 members age 50 and older in Idaho. “He provided integral leadership to pass Senate Bills 1250 and 1251 this year and help make the big responsibilities of family caregivers in Idaho a little bit easier.”

SB1250 Advanced Practice, Registered Nurse Compact and SB1251 Nursing Licensure Compact are important because they allow nurses (APRN, RN and LPN) the ability to practice across state lines, whether in person, by phone or electronically through a streamlined and efficient process while facilitating continuity of care for consumers. They also insure state boards of nursing work together to protect the public through effective enforcement of nurse licensure laws across state lines. This is a uniform and efficient approach to continue to deliver quality healthcare throughout Idaho.

 

More than 300,000 Idahoans provide unpaid care for their older parents, spouses, and other loved ones—a contribution valued at about $2 billion annually.  They help with bathing and dressing, meal preparation, managing finances, transportation, grocery shopping and more.  Today, many family caregivers even perform medical tasks like wound care, injections, and complex medication management.

“This is just a first step to providing a little bit of help for family caregivers,” says Wissel. “AARP will continue to fight for Idaho family caregivers and their loved ones in 2017: for more support, help at home, workplace flexibility, training, relief and more.”

 

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org ; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates.  The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org .