Staying Fit
More than 80 percent of Iowa registered voters age 45 and older supports measures in The Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act , which will help unpaid family caregivers when their loved ones go into the hospital and as they transition home. The bill features three important provisions that require hospitals to provide instructions on the medical tasks the family caregiver may need to perform at home, keep a family caregiver informed of major decisions, like transferring or discharging the patient, and to engage with caregivers by recording the name of the family caregiver when a loved one is admitted into a hospital.
Key findings of this survey include:
- About 90 percent of Iowa registered voters age 45 and older who are current or past caregivers say it is important for them to receive training or instruction on medical tasks they may need to perform upon hospital discharge of a loved one.
- Both current and former caregivers have provided care in a myriad of ways, with two-thirds assisting with complex care like medication management (65%) and other medical tasks (65%).
- Most Iowa registered voters age 45 and older have experiences as family caregivers, or believe they are likely to be caregivers in the future.
- Many (48%) current and past caregivers say it is likely that they will need to provide care again in the future.
- Many Iowa caregivers age 45+ are still working either full or part-time. Iowa respondents who are current or past caregivers report feeling emotionally (60%) and financially stressed (24%).
AARP Iowa commissioned a telephone survey of 1,000 Iowa registered voters age 45 and older to learn about their experiences with family caregiving. This report highlights results from registered voters interviewed between November 20th and November 30th 2014. For more information, contact Cassandra Burton at ccantave@aarp.org.
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