Caregiver Support Blueprint for Delaware

The Caregiving Task Force, which was formed with the passage of AARP Model Resolution 57 during the 2014 legislative session, met its deadline and delivered its recommendations to Governor Markell and the House and Senate on May 29, 2015. Former State President and Caregiving volunteer Jeanne Nutter, Ph.D., served as co-chair on the task force to help drive the agenda and ensure better resources and policies for family caregivers. The task force spent many months assessing family caregiving in Delaware to develop a list of needs that will benefit consumers and employers alike.

Key to the report, titled “ Caregiver Support: Blueprint for Delaware,” are policy recommendations including the CARE Act. Specifically, some of the top recommendations are for legislation that will address:

• Ensuring more involvement with family caregivers in hospital discharge
• Passing the Uniform Power of Attorney Act
• Establishment of tax credits for caregiving expenses

 

The report also makes a few key programmatic recommendations such as collaboration with the state’s business leaders, service providers and consumers to explore policies which support employed caregivers. The report calls for a review of the design and delivery of caregiver services with a goal of promoting quality.