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An advisory panel charged with helping the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) develop a federal strategy to support family caregivers has delivered its initial report, detailing 26 recommendations to provide financial and other assistance to the more than 48 million Americans providing unpaid care to older and disabled loved ones.
The 141-page report issued Sept. 22 marks a major step toward implementation of the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act. The measure, which Congress passed and the president signed into law in early 2018, tasks HHS with establishing a national family caregiving agenda and improving coordination across government programs that assist caregivers and care recipients.
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In a series of meetings over two years, the 30-member RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council assessed the current patchwork of federal efforts to support family caregivers and developed recommendations for meeting five core goals:
- Expand outreach and education for family caregivers and public awareness of the needs and challenges they face.
- Engage caregivers as partners in providing health care and long-term services and supports for their loved ones.
- Improve access to services and supports such as respite care, counseling and transportation assistance.
- Ensure financial and workplace security for family caregivers.
- Generate research, data and evidence-based practices to develop policies and programs that meaningfully help caregivers.
In a statement, AARP praised the council’s work, particularly in spotlighting the financial strain on family caregivers and calling for greater access to home- and community-based services to support them. A June 2021 AARP study found that 78 percent of family caregivers routinely incur out-of-pocket caregiving costs averaging more than $7,200 a year.
“As the council points out, America’s 48 million family caregivers are the backbone of our care system, and they are breaking under the strain,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP’s chief advocacy and engagement officer. “It’s time for policymakers to take action.”
AARP has called on Congress to enact a tax credit for family caregivers this year and to pass legislation to provide paid leave for caregiving. Some states mandate paid leave for caregiving purposes, but the federal Family and Medical Leave Act authorizes only unpaid leave and does not apply to 40 percent of the U.S. workforce.
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