Advocate outlines 3 policy priorities to support family caregivers

Jason Resendez, CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, discussed policy solutions to assist the more than 60 million Americans balancing work, child care, and caregiving for aging relatives, according to WITN.

Resendez emphasized the need to reauthorize and increase funding for the Older Americans Act, which supports state Area Agencies on Aging in providing services like Meals on Wheels and caregiver support programs. He noted the National Family Caregiver Support Program under this act offers respite care, training, and outreach but is funded at about $200 million annually, which is insufficient for the demand, WITN reported.

Another key policy priority is establishing a national paid family and medical leave program. Resendez pointed out that the U.S. remains one of the few industrialized nations without such a program, though 13 states and the District of Columbia have implemented their own. Virginia is noted as the first southern state to do so, according to WITN.

The third priority involves Medicare expanding recognition and support for family caregivers. The alliance advocates for improved access to caregiver training and enhanced in-home health benefits, WITN said.

These policy changes aim to reduce the daily challenges faced by family caregivers and help them maintain employment while providing care, Resendez explained during his testimony before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, as reported by WITN.