Our Suggested Solutions to the Lt. Gov.: What Would You Add?

Denise

Our Suggested Solutions to the Lt. Gov.: What Would You Add?

Denise
During her keynote conversation on November 8 at the Fourth Annual National Caregiving Conference, the IL Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton asked us to capture ideas on what we can do to improve the lives of family caregivers. She will then share our ideas with her fellow Lieutenant Governors. (Watch the conversation with the Lt. Governor.)

We captured the following ideas at the conference:

  • Create Navigator roles to help caregivers connect to resources already available to them

  • Build education & awareness programs to assist employers in recognizing and understanding their role supporting employee caregivers

  • Subsidies/incentives for companies (especially SMEs) to provide caregiving support for employees

  • Increase Medicaid monthly benefit/allowance

  • Respond to “Patient Dumping” and/or Unsafe Discharges – HIPPA: Emergency contacts can’t be contacted when patient discharges against medical advice (in Florida)

  • LT Care/Insurance Regulation

  • Memory Care for supportive living

  • HR & Supervisor training to recognize early dementia identification for disability claims before retiring, firing or layoff

  • Provide Medicaid Assisted Living recipient more personal funding than $30.00 to maintain life insurance payments

  • Involve children in discussions & advocacy. Our young children were wiser then me as I navigated for a wounded warrior (Utah)

  • 24 hour support phone line which will provide support and information with immediate response to caregivers

  • A stipend for home grocery delivery for caregivers who are truly homebound

  • Teach caregivers how powerful sharing their stories can be as an intregal form of advocacy to change policy to support them


We'd love to add your ideas to our list! Please share any solutions you'd like us to share with the Lt. Governor in our comments section, below.

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Denise

I'd love to see our Caregiving Support Program in:\r\n\r\n--Schools and universities for teachers and students\r\n--Libraries\r\n--Workplaces\r\n--Banks\r\n--Doctors offices\r\n--Hospitals\r\n--Pharmacies\r\n--Park district facilities\r\n--Outpatient clinics\r\n\r\nLet's bring support and resources to where family caregivers are.\r\n\r\nCaregiving Support Program details: https://www.caregiving.com/2019/10/csp/

Denise

Other states seem to be making progress with programs and services specifically for family caregivers: \r\n\r\nWisconsin: https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/health-med-fit/special-report-fading-away-wisconsin-s-dementia-crisis/collection_cbaedc8e-f459-5a60-bbb4-f472213d10a4.html and \r\n\r\nMassachusetts: https://www.telegram.com/news/20191122/coalition-launched-to-support-working-family-caregivers

Jump-start creating/extending Dementia-friendly Communities. An easy start is identifying restaurants willing to be identified as Dementia-Friendly Dining. Caregivers, Loved Ones and their families desire to seek out safe dining establishments where they can continue to create positive quality experiences and memories to cherish. Key factors needed are a closed back room, slow day/night and owners/managers willing to have their staff trained in key service skills that address special needs to accommodate caregivers and families with Loved Ones with Dementia and Alzheimer's. Our first Dementia-friendly Dining is slated to commence January 23, 2020 and on every Thursday thereafter from 11:30 am to 6 pm at The Meatball Stoppe in Orlando. More restaurants in Orlando and Central Florida are being identified.