Caregiving

Today, AARP Iowa, Alzheimer's Association Greater Iowa Chapter, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Inc., American Heart Association Midwest Affiliate, Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa, Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging, Iowa CareGivers, National Multiple Sclerosis Society Upper Midwest Chapter and Older Iowans Legislature sent an open letter to Iowa state lawmakers urging passage of the 2018 Iowa CARE Act this session.

We invite you to join AARP in helping Iowans learn more about Medicare benefits by volunteering for the Iowa Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)*. SHIIP is a free health insurance counseling service that helps Medicare-eligible Iowans with their Medicare and health insurance questions and problems.

As state lawmakers near a key deadline, the 2018 legislative session’s first funnel of February 16, AARP leaders and activists descended on the State Capitol this morning for the Association’s annual lobby day, urging lawmakers to pass the 2018 Iowa CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable) Act. The bill (HF 2289/SSB 3123), with no cost to the state or taxpayers, would provide vital support for Iowa’s more than 317,000 family caregivers who help their older parents, spouses and other loved ones live safely and independently at home.

When Irene Olson was unexpectedly discharged from the hospital on a wintery Saturday afternoon after a short stay following aortic aneurism surgery, she phoned her daughter Sue, 175 miles away in Ames, telling her to come and pick her up. With minimal information from hospital staff regarding the discharge, Sue drove five hours through blizzard conditions. Arriving at the hospital, Sue’s mother was waiting in a wheelchair to be taken home. No instruction was provided to Sue on how to administer her mother’s medications or how to tend to a wound that remained from the recent surgery.

As state lawmakers near a key deadline, the 2018 legislative session’s first funnel of February 16, AARP Iowa is urging lawmakers to pass the 2018 Iowa CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable) Act. The bill (SSB 3123), with no cost to the state or taxpayers, would provide vital support for Iowa’s more than 317,000 family caregivers who help their older parents, spouses and other loved ones live safely and independently at home.

In 2018, AARP Iowa is again working with lawmakers, advocates, volunteers and members to urge passage of the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act, a commonsense policy that increases information, education and support for Iowa’s more than 317,000 family caregivers. A 2015 survey found that 50 percent of Iowa caregivers are left out of hospital discussions about patient care and receive little or no instruction about tasks they will have to perform, such as wound are and medication management, at home after the patient is discharged.

Join two live webinars to find out how to identify and react to changes in your loved one’s behavior

The Iowa General Assembly convenes Jan. 8, and AARP Iowa is continuing to press for legislation that can ease the transition from hospital to home for patients and family caregivers.

AARP Iowa is working with employers to help them understand and support employees who also serve as unpaid family caregivers. The goal is to identify resources that can help not only caregivers but employers, as well.

Central Iowa caregivers are invited to join with other local caregivers for a “ CAREversation” about family caregiving on Thursday, July 13 from 5:30-7:30 pm at Louie’s Wine Dive in Des Moin es.