‘Who Cares?’ Over 50 NYS Lawmakers – Who’ve Provided Care to Family Members & Loved Ones

AARP NY Poster Featuring State Legislators Aimed at Raising Awareness of Need to Support Family Caregivers

ALBANY, N.Y.— Over 50 New York State lawmakers who care or have cared for family members and loved ones have lent their names and pictures for a poster to raise awareness about the importance of unpaid family caregivers to the long term care system.

State lawmakers from Long Island to New York City and across Upstate are featured in the AARP New York poster, entitled “Who Cares? / 2020 Caregivers of the Capitol” (see it in higher quality here), which recognizes the family caregiving contributions of our state legislators.

Many have the poster on display at their offices in an effort to help educate constituents and show support for family caregivers, who do everything from helping loved ones with medication and ever-more complex medical tasks to grocery shopping and housekeeping.

Calling family caregivers the unsung heroes of our long term care system, AARP has long fought to ensure they have the resources and support they need to care for and help their older loved ones age with dignity and respect.

In many cases, that care occurs in loved ones’ homes - and helps avoid the unwanted placement of older New Yorkers in costly and mostly taxpayer-funded nursing homes.

“We want to thank you for agreeing to be part of our 2020 ‘Who Cares? Caregivers of the NY State Legislature’ poster project to recognize and celebrate the family caregiving contributions of our state legislators,” AARP New York Director of Government Affairs & Advocacy David McNally wrote to the participating lawmakers. “We thank you for your commitment to supporting family caregivers and the work you do in your district to help older New Yorkers age in place.”

AARP New York fought successfully in recent years for an historic, $15 million increase in state aid for home- and community-based care aimed at supporting family caregivers who provide care to loved ones at home, the state “CARE Act” requiring hospitals to allow patients to formally designate a family caregiver and provide the caregiver with information and demonstrations of after-care the patient will need following discharge, and a state law expanding the kinds of tasks nurses are allowed to perform during home care visits to relieve the burdens on family caregivers.

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About AARP

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

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