Watch Larry's Story and Learn How You Can Help Him and 62,100 Other North Dakota Family Caregivers

Larry is a North Dakota caregiver who takes care of his wife with multiple sclerosis, every day, 24 hours a day. He does the cooking, bathing, and other necessary tasks that allow Larry and his wife to stay at home rather than move away from their homestead.  It’s a tough job, but for Larry and the other 62,100 North Dakota caregivers, it’s a labor of love. That is why AARP is fighting for caregivers like Larry.

Now North Dakota has a chance to make it better for caregivers, by providing more breaks for caregivers to get a rest, additional information and training for caregivers taking loved ones home from the hospital, and workplace protections for caregivers still working.  These and other important recommendations were included in a North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the NDSU Extension Service report given to the Legislature’s Interim Human Services Committee in May. Now it is up to the Committee to forward them to the full legislature for consideration in the 2017 legislative session. Send the Committee a message and ask them to support the Caregiver study recommendations.

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The Interim Human Services Committee hired NDSU and NDSU Extension to complete a study on Family Caregiver Supports and Services. They put together a list of 5 categories of recommendations for North Dakota caregivers including improving funding for family caregiver support programs, better access to caregiver respite care, improved marketing and technology to help family caregivers find services, better education and training of caregivers and more caregiver supports in rural areas.

The NDSU and NDSU Extension study is right!

We need to move these recommendations into action. Tell the legislators on the committee to put forward legislation in the 2017 session to implement these recommendations.

Our loved ones can remain independent at home with caregiver support. Now our North Dakota caregivers, like Larry, need the legislatures support of the study recommendations to get the tools they need to stay on the job. Help caregivers across North Dakota and send a message in support of the Caregiver Study recommendations!