Alzheimer's Association Applauds Senate Committee For Action on Caregiver Support

Alzheimer's Association
Wednesday, 12 July 2000

(Stephen McConnell, vice president of the Alzheimer's Association, had the following comment on today's action on the Older Americans Act by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.)

The Alzheimer's Association congratulates Senator Jeffords and the committee for their efforts to reach consensus on a bipartisan Older Americans Act bill that includes authorization for a national Family Caregiver Support program.

The Alzheimer's Association strongly urges Congress to complete action on the bill before adjourning for the summer recess, to give appropriators the authority they need to add funds for the caregiver program when they resume work on the appropriations bills in September.

The World Alzheimer Congress, which adjourned this week in Washington, provided overwhelming evidence of the value of assistance to family caregivers. Federal action would give states the resources needed to provide the physical, financial and emotional support caregivers so badly need and richly deserve. Counseling, support programs and -- most of all -- respite care and adult day care can go a long way toward strengthening the underpinnings of the American family.

Even without the compelling human stories of those heroic caregivers, economic motives should compel Congress to provide support. Family caregivers are providing an estimated $196 billion a year subsidy to the U.S. health care system, more than is spent on formal home health care ($32 billion) and nursing home care ($83 billion) combined. Without the family caregivers, Medicare and Medicaid would be bankrupt.

The 19 million members of American families who have a loved one with Alzheimer's are today applauding Committee Chairman Jeffords, Ranking Minority Member Edward M. Kennedy and the committee members for the bipartisan support needed to make possible today¹s long awaited action.

For more information, or to contact Alzheimer's Association, see their website at: www.alz.org