The CARE Act - Supporting WA State Seniors & Their Family Caregivers

Millions of Americans are caring for an older parent or loved one, helping them to live independently at home – where they want to be.  These caregivers have a big job but we can help with some basic support—and commonsense solutions—to make their big responsibilities a little bit easier. That’s why AARP urges state lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 6327, known as the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act and help family caregivers as their loved ones go into the hospital and as they transition home.

What is The CARE Act
The CARE Act recognizes the critical role family caregivers play in keeping their loved ones out of costly institutions.

The bill features three important provisions:

• The name of the family caregiver is recorded when a loved one is admitted into a hospital;
• The family caregiver is notified if the loved one is to be discharged to another facility or back home; and,
• The facility must provide an explanation and live instruction of the medical tasks – such as medication management, injections, wound care, and transfers – that the family caregiver will perform at home.

 

Why Washington State Needs The CARE Act

• Most care recipients (69%) did not have a home visit by a health care professional after discharge from the hospital.
• Almost half (46%) of family caregivers perform medical or nursing tasks for their loved ones with multiple chronic physical and cognitive conditions.
• Three out of four (78%) who provide these medical or nursing tasks manage medications, including administering intravenous fluids and injections.
• Most family caregivers report that they received little or no training to perform these tasks.

• The vast majority of older Americans want to live independently at home.
• Most seniors who receive assistance at home rely exclusively on unpaid family caregivers for help.
• More than 1,250,000 family caregivers in Washington help their loved ones to live independently – keeping them out of costly institutions, such as nursing homes.
• Across Washington, family caregivers provide unpaid care valued at about $10 Billion annually.
• Family caregivers perform a variety of caregiving duties, including help with bathing and dressing, feeding, medication management, wound care, transportation, and more.

 

Download and share a copy of the  AARP CARE Act Fact Sheet.

Do you have a caregiving story to share?  We'd love to hear from you.  Please email us at aarpwa@aarp.org