"Today approximately 12.8 million adults require assistance from others to carry out activities of daily life," Grassley will write to Sen. Ted Stevens, Appropriations Committee chairman. "With the coming retirement of the baby boom generation, the number will rise considerably. If we act now and ensure that America's families have the support that they need to care for sick and elderly loved ones, we will be doing the entire nation a great service."
In a letter planned for next week, Grassley will ask appropriators to fund a National Family Caregiver Support Program at $125 million to serve thousands of families in communities nationwide. He has introduced the proposal in legislative form (S. 707) and has heard hearing testimony from Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala in favor of the program.
Grassley's letter to appropriators will explain that the National Family Caregiver Support Program would work through local aging agencies under the Older Americans Act to provide respite care, information and assistance, caregiving counseling, training and peer support and supplemental services to caregivers and their families.
The proposal has bipartisan support but has not been approved because the Older Americans Act has not been re-authorized. Grassley said he hopes the appropriations process will be an effective vehicle.
Grassley also plans to write to Sen. Pete Domenici, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, urging increased funding for Title XX of the Social Security Act, the Social Services Block Grant.
The block grant includes services to the elderly including long-term care support services, home- and community-based services, meal support and nutrition, and adult protective services, as well as services for children and those with mental health needs. The block grant is funded at $1.7 billion this year. President Clinton proposes the same amount for next year. Grassley will ask for $2.38 billion.
"It's important to act on two fronts," Grassley said. "First, we should use existing resources to meet a pressing need. The family caregiver support proposal does this by adding services to a successful network of aging centers. Second, we have to fund good programs that serve older Americans at full levels. Peace of mind can come from access to quality services."