NATIONAL CAREGIVER RELIEF LAW ENACTED

Before adjourning, the 109th Congress unanimously approved a bill, later signed by President Bush, that will provide a measure of relief for the millions of Americans currently providing unpaid care in their homes to the elderly or those with special needs.

The Lifespan Respite Care Act (HR 3248) authorizes nearly $300 million in grants to states over the next five years to help families hire temporary help to relieve primary caregivers. Building on programs in states like North Carolina, the new federal law will provide respite services regardless of age, income level or condition severity.

Starting in 2007, the new federal law will give states money to provide respite care services for family caregivers caring for children or adults, to train and recruit respite care workers and volunteers, and to provide information to caregivers about available respite and support services. But note, that were this to be divided evenly among the states, it works out to a relatively small $6 million per state over five years. (If all of Massachusetts’ estimated 350,000 caregivers [see accompanying story] were to apply, these funds would offer about $17 per caregiver).

"The new law . . . is part of a growing effort by the federal government to encourage home care as a way of saving money in other programs, especially Medicaid, for the high cost of nursing homes," wrote The Wall Street Journal. The Journal points out that if respite care delayed every senior's institutionalization by one month, it could save the government as much as $1.12 billion a year.

To read the new law, go to http://thomas.loc.gov, enter Bill Number "HR 3248" and then select version four, "Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate."

-Adapted from: http://www.elderlawanswers.com/resources/article.asp?id=5897&section=4 , referenced in: ElderLaw News e-mail, from ElderLawAnswers January 02, 2007

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