Dear Editor:
Caregivers save lives, reduce suffering, and help people maintain their independence & dignity remain in their homes and communities. Caregivers keep their loved ones out of hospitals and nursing facilities—saving tax dollars. In addition to companionship, caregivers perform medication management, injections, and wound care. Unfortunately, most caregivers receive little or no training to perform these medical tasks upon discharge from the hospital. Without the proper education and information for our family caregivers there is a greater chance of an accident taking place and possibly readmitting his or her loved one into the hospital.
AARP supports the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act, legislation sponsored by Assembly Speaker Prieto, Assemblyman Lagana, and Assemblyman Andrzejczak. The bill will ensure that patients can appoint someone as a designated caregiver upon arrival to a hospital. This is important for the patient because unpaid caregivers can make the difference between a healthy recovery post-discharge vs. a return to the emergency room. The bill will make sure caregivers are notified when the patient is being discharged and that the caregiver will receive effective instruction on how to complete the medical tasks at home. This bill could reduce hospital readmissions, improve quality of care, and save hospitals and patients a lot of money.
This is win-win legislation that deserves broad, bipartisan support.
Domenick Camisi