Contact your legislator about helping to get caregiver legislation passed to help veterans

S 1963 in the Senate and HR 3155 are bills that would provide training for caregivers to help our injured and ill veterans. As in the Health Care Reform legislation, the differences between the Congressional bill and the Senate Bill are holding up needed legislation to help our brave veterans get the the best help to rehabilitate and/or provide the best care possible for the mental, psychological, and physical issues. With all of the innovations in medical care, veterans that would have died in years past are living with many problems. We need to support our troops with providing them with the best trained caregivers available. Additionally, so many of the military people have been on tours of duty more than being home. These personnel and veterans are affected by post traumatic stress and other stress related disorders. We need to support them by contacting our legislators and get them to compromise on the bills and pass a bill that will provide the help to our servicemen and women and veterans that they deserve. Contact your legislator.

Senator Edward Kennedy’s contribution to affordable Long Term Insurance

The Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act 2009 was introduced by Senator Kennedy (S. 697) and Congressman Jack Pallone (H.R. 1721). According to the fact sheet put out by the Alliance for Retired Americans, Medicare covers very little of the long term services needed and one must have less than $2000 in savings to qualify for Medicaid. Hence, people are forced into institutions and poverty if they require long term medical services. Furthermore, over 40% of people will need over 2 years of long term services and support. Think about what this is costing taxpayers and caregivers who must help cover these costs if they want their family member to get quality care. The bill would create a National Insurance Program supported through voluntary payroll deductions of anyone working 18 years of age and older. This large pool of people in the program will decrease the cost of Long Term Services and Support.

The lack of Long Term Health Insurance is not only a drain on the finances of the person directly affected but also family and friends that chip in to make sure their loved one is properly cared for. We all need to not only have access to affordable health care, we should have access to affordable Long Term Health Care. Contact your legislative representative and make sure that you let him/her know that you want the Class Act to pass.

November is National Family Caregivers Month

On October 30, 2009, President Obama proclaimed November to be National Family Caregivers Month. In his proclamation, President Obama highlighted two programs that should help family caregivers in their quest to balance their personal and professional lives with their care of family or friends; The National Family Caregiver Support Program and the Lifespan Respite Care Act. The National Family Caregivers Month was started by the National Family Caregivers Association to thank, support, and educate family caregivers. I believe that one of goals of all organizations trying to support and educate family caregivers is to help those who see themselves as the niece caring for her aunt with breast cancer or the son caring for his elderly parents identify themselves as caregivers. I believe this is critical because until people identify themselves as family caregivers instead of family members helping those they love most of the legislation and organizational support available will not be requested or sought out.

Silent majority must stand up for health care reform

We have seen on the news some clearly misinformed people yelling and disrupting the town hall meetings on health care reform. We have seen many older people worried about whether they will be getting less care to fund care for others. Many of these people have relevant concerns about the lack of clear, concise information about what might REALLY be in a health care reform bill. Others are basing their dissent on fear based on the misinformation put out by opponents of the health care reform. What we need is for President Obama to step up and put down on paper what he will not negotiate on and what he will compromise on based on his original promises to people as he campaigned. The other thing that must happen is those people, like me, who have experienced losing a job and have had to scrounge around for health care must start speaking up. I am always amazed at the people arguing against the public option who know someone who collects disability, gets medicare, medicaid, social security, etc. These programs are supported by public funds. Without these programs, the grandparents, parents, disabled friend or child of those someone voicing their argumentative dissent about a pubic option in health care reform would not get the care and help they need. Part of the problem is that there is NO health care bill…just volumes of ideas being thrown around. Those Republican Congresspeople who are arguing against public options are more than happy to be buried in Arlington Cemetery and collect a large pension. This is not a political issue. It is a human issue.

Respite care to help recharge the caregiver

How important is repite care to the health of the caregiver? The article in the Republican on June 24 provides real life examples of how respite care helps everyday people who are the primary caregivers of their elderly parents. An abstract from a pilot study conducted at the University of Florida on the effect of respite care on the stress levels of the caregivers suggests that a caregiver’s stress level will be minimized through respite care. Both of the previous materials are directly related to respite care for people caring for the elderly. However, every primary caregiver needs to take advantage of respite care services available in their region. A good resource for everyone on respite care is the ARCH National Respite Network. This website details the life of the Lifespan Respite Bill passed in 2006 and how it is completely underfunded. We all need to get in touch with our legislators and make sure that they fund the bill.

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