What Does the CARE Act Mean for Your Family?
AARP and several other organizations have been pushing the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act. It’s now become the law in 40 states. If you haven’t heard of it, its goal is to help family caregivers find the support and help they need when caring for an older adult.
Too many families today are trying to balance jobs and care for their aging parents. In addition, they still have children at home. Balancing all of this is leading to anxiety, uncertainty, and financial woes. This “Sandwich Generation” becomes trapped between their parents’ care, their children’s care, their need to work and save for retirement, and the management of two homes.
How the CARE Act Helps
The goal of the CARE Act is to have a family caregiver designated. If your parent has a health issue, the doctors sit down with that family caregiver to ensure the caregiver knows what is needed for care back at home. Doctors and medical specialists provide you with the information you need to provide that care if you want to do it on your own, services that can help, and referrals to everything from home care to support groups.
The CARE Act also helps families figure out if there is any insurance coverage available. Long-term care is not covered by most insurance plans, but there may be limited coverage for short-term care needs. It can help cover the cost of home care following a medical event like a stroke or heart attack.
Some states haven’t enacted the CARE Act yet. They are:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Wisconsin
All other states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington D.C. have all passed the law. AARP has a CARE Act wallet card available that makes it easy for family caregivers to find support. One of the ways to get support is by finding home care services that provide respite care and other services that ease your load when your parent needs help.
Talk to your area’s Agency on Aging. Find out if the CARE Act has been enacted in your state or is in the works. If it has, the Agency on Aging can refer you to programs that might help your family with the home care your parents need. Don’t try to balance work, care, and household maintenance and upkeep on your own. Reach out and find out if there’s a way to get help with the home care services your mom and dad need.
Sources:
https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2019/03/the-care-act-implementation-progress-and-promise.pdf
https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/local/info-2017/care-act-aarp-wallet-card.html
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Spotswood, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care Serving Somerset and Middlesex/Union Counties today. Call (732) 607-8870.
The Care Street mission is straightforward and compelling: to provide a comprehensive range of the highest quality home health services in a professional and efficient manner that will enhance our clients' quality of life and empower families to keep their loved one at home.
Care Street has earned a reputation of excellence among hundreds of families, and is recommended by medical professionals and hospital discharge planners throughout the State.
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