Caregiving

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After five years of working to pass legislation to support Iowa’s 317,000 family caregivers, volunteer advocates from AARP Iowa along with other partnering statewide organizations, celebrated their persistence and dedication on Tuesday when Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds inked her signature to the 2019 Iowa CARE Act, Senate File (SF) 210 at a bill-signing ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol. The legislation becomes law on July 1, 2019.

The Iowa House this morning passed the 2019 Iowa CARE Act (SF 210) by a vote of 96-3. With the bill unanimously passing the Iowa Senate earlier in the week, the legislation now moves to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. The CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable) Act outlines commonsense steps to help Iowa’s more than 317,000 family caregivers when their loved one goes into the hospital and as they transition home.

The Iowa Senate unanimously passed the 2019 Iowa CARE Act (SF 210) today by a vote of 49-0. The CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable) Act outlines commonsense steps to help Iowa’s more than 317,000 family caregivers when their loved one goes into the hospital and as they transition home.

AARP Iowa has released the results of a new statewide caregiving survey, showing that 96 percent of family caregivers in the state believe it’s important to receive instruction on medical tasks they will need to provide for loved ones at home after discharge from the hospital.

Despite the inclement weather outside, the Iowa State Capitol was turned into a sea of red vests and red hearts this morning as more than 60 AARP Iowa volunteer activists and a large coalition of healthcare advocates from across the state rallied for support of the 2019 Iowa CARE Act (SF 210/HF 340), a common-sense bill to help Iowa’s 317,000 family caregivers. The CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable) Act was passed earlier this month in the Senate Human Resources Committee and is awaiting the vote of the full Senate. The bill passed a House Subcommittee, led by Rep. Cecil Dolecheck (R-24) earlier today.

This past Wednesday, AARP Iowa hosted a teletown hall event featuring the 2019 Iowa CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable) Act. The bill features four important provisions. The name of the family caregiver is recorded when their loved one is admitted into a hospital, if a patient chooses to designate one. Second, the designated family caregiver is notified when their loved one is to be discharged back home. Third, the hospital discusses the caregivers’ abilities and limitations. Finally, the hospital discusses the patient’s care needs at home and provides an explanation and live instruction on the medical tasks to be performed – such as medication management, injections, wound care, and transfers.

Legislation would help Iowa’s 317,000 family caregivers

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