"Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, told the story of his father's diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease just a few weeks prior. After the appointment, Kim said he sat in his car in shock, replaying the words of the doctor who warned him that his next year was going to be hell. Kim said the costs of care have already been "catastrophic" for his family."
"The takeaway: Family caregiving is so difficult that even a U.S. Senator is overwhelmed. And even a Senator doesn't know how to fix it. There's consensus that something needs to change. Kim chose to focus this high-profile speech on family caregiving because it resonates: An estimated 63 million Americans currently care for elderly or chronically ill adults, according to a survey from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving."
A family's experience with a recent Alzheimer's diagnosis illustrates catastrophic costs and overwhelming complexity of caregiving. Family caregiving affects an estimated 63 million Americans. Broad majorities across political parties support greater government assistance for caregivers. Both 2024 Presidential candidates pledged action, but substantial federal policy changes have not materialized. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened visibility of caregiving and reframed it as a labor and economic issue. Coalitions such as Care Can't Wait unite labor, aging, and disability advocates to lobby policymakers and raise awareness. State governments have begun adopting policies to assist caregivers, signaling a gradual shift in public policy.
Read at www.npr.org
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