It’s Time to Care for Caregivers: Senator Markey Announces Comprehensive Family Caregiving Legislative Agenda

Ahead of the "Older Americans Act" reauthorization, new slate of legislation aims to support nearly fifty million caregivers who provide $600 billion in unpaid care annually

Agenda Summary

Washington (July 18, 2024) - Senator Edward J. Markey, Chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security and member of the HELP Committee Older Americans Act reauthorization working group, today announced his "Caring for Caregivers" legislative agenda for family caregiving, which calls for the economic security, support and resources, and protection and promotion of caregivers and their loved ones' health and wellbeing. Family caregivers do this important work without pay and often without recognition. Senator Markey's seven-bill agenda not only recognizes the tremendous contributions of family caregivers, but ensures they are paid and trained for their labor; can easily access benefits and services by eliminating red tape and leaning on peers who been in their shoes; and will see their loved one's health improve through healthy homes and food.

"When my mother suffered from Alzheimer's, my father was her caregiver in our home in Malden for thirteen years," said Senator Markey. "Family caregivers, such as my father, work around the clock doing the physical, health, financial, and other household work to support their loved ones' ability to remain in their homes and communities. Caregivers are serving on the frontlines of the health care system, often to the neglect of their own health and wellbeing. My 'Caring for Caregivers' agenda will ensure that family caregivers economic, physical, and emotional health and wellbeing are front and center."

As part of his agenda, Senator Markey is introducing a suite of new legislation:

• Home Modifications for the Climate Crisis Act, legislation that would clarify that home modifications, which support older Americans ability to safely age in their homes and communities under the Older Americans Act, can include measures related to heating, cooling, air quality, energy efficiency, and assistance with utility and power.

• Cosponsors include Senators Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
• The Home Modifications for the Climate Crisis Act is endorsed by the WE ACT for Environmental Justice, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), Center on Energy Poverty and Climate, National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), Climate and Community Project, Center for American Progress, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, Gerontological Society of America, Alzheimer's Foundation of America, National Housing Law Project, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Leading Age, and Solve ME/CFS.
• A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

• Respite Care and Resources for Everyone (CARE) Act, legislation to support the development or establishment of integrated settings where family caregivers can receive respite care simultaneously with other supportive services. This would improve the accessibility of both respite care and supportive services. These supportive services under the Older Americans Act include counseling, financial planning, nutrition literacy, and information about other available programs for older adults and their caregivers.

• The Respite CARE Act is endorsed by Caring Across Generations, Gerontological Society of America, National Women's Law Center, Family Caregiving Alliance, Alzheimer's Foundation of America, Alliance for Aging Research, Paralyzed Veterans of America, National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, Elder Justice Coalition, LeadingAge, and the Diverse Elders Coalition.
• A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

• Financial Services Improving Noble and Necessary Caregiving Experience (FINANCE) Act, legislation to support grants through the Older Americans Act for financial planning for family caregivers including budgeting and saving, debt and bankruptcy, and referrals to legal assistance for estate and will planning and to information published by the National Resource Center on Women and Retirement Planning.

• Cosponsors include Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.).
• The FINANCE Act is endorsed by the Gerontological Society of America, National Alliance for Caregiving, Family Caregiving Alliance, Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement, American Society on Aging, National Women's Law Center, Aging Life Care Association, Alzheimer's Foundation of America, LeadingAge, and Diverse Elders Coalition.
• A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

• Family Caregiver Peer Support Act, legislation that would authorize $10 million annually for grants to develop or expand peer support programs for family caregivers, with priority for programs that serve low-income, BIPOC, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and/or disabled caregivers.

• Cosponsors include Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
• The Family Caregiver Peer Support Act is endorsed by the Alzheimer' Association, Caring Across Generations, National Alliance for Caregiving, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Care in Action, National Women's Law Center, and UsAgainstAlzheimer's.
• A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

• Family Caregiving Research and Innovation Act, legislation to include family caregiving under the Administration on Community Living's Innovation Lab. The Innovation Lab is charged with developing research and providing technical assistance.

• Cosponsors in the Senate include Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
• The Family Caregiving Research and Innovation Act is endorsed by the Gerontological Society of America, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Care in Action, Family Caregiving Alliance, and the National Alliance for Caregiving.
• A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

• Disease Intervention through Nutrition Education (DINE) Act, legislation that would expand Food is Medicine under the Older Americans Act by adding screening and referrals to Food is Medicine programs under the Act's health promotion and disease prevention work. The Act would also include food-based interventions, such as product prescriptions to the Administration's long-term planning of nutrition programs as they examine trends in aging and nutrition.

• The DINE Act is endorsed by the National Produce Prescription Collaborative, Hunger Free America, the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Greater Boston Food Bank, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

• A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

• Convenient Care for Caregivers Act, legislation to support pilot projects through the Older Americans Act for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and their family caregivers to receive health care and other supportive services at the same time and location. This pilot project would collect and report data on health measures to the Administration on Community Living and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to determine the effectiveness of this type of care.

• The Convenient Care for Caregivers Act is endorsed by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America and Alzheimer's Los Angeles.
• A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

Last month, Senator Markey introduced the Elder Pride Act, legislation to establish an Office of LGBTQI Inclusion within the Department of Health and Human Services to advocate, coordinate activities, recommend policies for, and collect data on LGBTQI+ older adults. In October 2023, Senators Markey and Capito (R-W.V.) introduced the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers (ABC) Act, legislation that requires Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to review their eligibility, processes, procedures, forms, and communications to reduce the administrative burden on family caregivers.

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