CARE Act Becomes Law in West Virginia

 

A new West Virginia state law provides needed support to more than 300,000 family caregivers across the Mountain State.

The Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act, which became effective June 8, provides support for family caregivers when their loved ones go into the hospital. The legislation, enacted during the 2015 West Virginia Legislature, requires upon hospitalization that health care facilities:

• Record the name of family caregivers on the medical record of a loved one;
• Inform the family caregiver when their loved one is to be discharged back home; and,
• Give the family caregiver education and instruction of the medical tasks, such as medication management, injections, wound care and transfers, they will need to perform at home.

 

“Today, more 300,000 family caregivers in West Virginia face challenging health care decisions every day. As the aging population in the Mountain State increases, so does the responsibility placed upon caregivers. Adoption of the CARE Act is an important step to ensure a consistent level of care is maintained for older West Virginians in the transition from health care facility to home,” said Gaylene Miller, AARP West Virginia state director.

In March, 2015, West Virginia became the fourth state in the nation to make the CARE Act law. Eight additional states have since joined West Virginia in implementing the law, which will have a potential impact on nearly 8.3 million family caregivers in the respective states.

For more information on AARP’s advocacy work and resources to support family caregivers, visit www.aarp.org/caregiving.

-------------------------------------

AARP WV Media Contact: Tom Hunter, 304.340.4605, tphunter@aarp.org