Staying Fit
The recently released study found that nearly all Washington family caregivers age 45-plus believe it is important to be able to provide care so that their loved ones can keep living independently in their own home and many would prefer that they or their loved ones be cared for at home if necessary. 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 include:
- More than 80 percent of Washington registered voters age 45-plus support measures in The Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act.
- Nearly all (96%) of current and former caregivers say it is important to receive training or instruction on medical tasks that they will need to perform.
- Both current and former caregivers have provided care in a myriad of ways, with two-thirds having assisted with complex care like medication management (68%) and other medical tasks (67%).
- 73% say having more caregiver resources and training that allows family caregivers to continue to provide in-home care is important.
AARP Washington commissioned a telephone survey of 800 registered voters age 45-plus to learn about their experiences with family caregiving. This report highlights results from registered voters interviewed between December 11 and December 19, 2015. The data was weighted to reflect registered voters in Washington age 45-plus. For more information contact Cassandra Cantave at CCantave@aarp.org.
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