FORBES: Giving Family Caregivers A Seat At The Policy Table
When developing health and long-term care policy, the government hears a lot from providers, drug and medical device makers, and various lobbyists and advocates, but they rarely hear from family caregivers. A new bill entitled the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, And Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act would change that. Under the bill the Department of Health and Human Services would be required to develop a strategy to recognize and support family caregivers. An advisory council which includes Caregivers had business and government representatives would create this strategy. The strategy would address are expanding person- and family-centered care, training and respite services for family caregivers, policies to help support caregivers at work, enhancing the financial security of caregivers, sharing information about innovative caregiving models, and assessing the effectiveness of federal family caregiving programs.