[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S6933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. Warner, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
        Smith, Mr. Kennedy, Ms. Collins, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Bond, Mrs. 
        Murray, Mr. Cochran, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kerry, Mr. 
        Talent, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Durbin, and 
        Mr. Hagel):
  S. 1283. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a 
program to assist family caregivers in accessing affordable and high-
quality respite care, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I am proud to reintroduce the Lifespan 
Respite Care Act of 2005 today with my colleague Senator John Warner. 
I'd like to express my sincere thanks to Senator Warner for his 
leadership on this legislation which would make much needed quality 
respite care available and accessible to families and family caregivers 
in need.
  Caregiving needs do not discriminate: they demand the time and 
resources of millions of American families from all socioeconomic, 
ethnic, and educational backgrounds.
  Caregivers today provide an enormous portion of our health and long-
term care for older adults and individuals with disabilities. Although 
much of family caregiving is unpaid, it is not without cost. In fact, 
it is estimated that if services provided by family caregivers were 
provided instead by paid professionals, they would cost over $200 
billion annually. In addition, food, medicines and other caregiving 
necessities place added strain on already tight family budgets.
  Because of their responsibilities at home, it is much more difficult 
for caregivers to find or maintain jobs. Many caregiving families are 
struggling to stay afloat. We simply cannot afford to continue to 
ignore their struggles.
  In addition to the financial costs of family caregiving, this labor 
of love often results in substantial physical and psychological 
hardship. Research suggests that caregivers often put their own health 
and well being at risk while assisting loved ones. Meeting these 
difficult demands can lead to depression, physical illness, anxiety, 
and emotional strain.
  One way to reduce the burden of caregiving is through respite care.
  As you know, respite care is a service that temporarily relieves a 
family member of his or her caregiving duties.
  Respite care provides some much needed relief from the daily demands 
of caregiving for a few hours or a few days. These welcome breaks help 
protect the physical and mental health of the family caregiver, making 
it possible for the individual in need of care to remain in the home.
  Unfortunately, across our country quality respite care remains hard 
to find, and too many caregivers do not even know how to find 
information about available services. Where community respite care 
services do exist, there are often long waiting lists. There are more 
caregivers in need of respite care than there are available respite 
care resources.
  And many caregiving families are hesitant to take advantage of these 
scant resources. Parents and spouses and other family caregivers are 
understandably hesitant to leave their loved ones with untrained staff.
  In an effort to recognize and support the heroic efforts of our 
family caregivers, my husband signed the National Family Caregiver 
Support Program into law as an amendments to the reauthorization of the 
Older Americans Act in 2000.
  Prior to the establishment of this program, there was no 
comprehensive Federal program that supported family caregivers.
  Although the National Family Caregiver Support Program took a step in 
the right direction, further efforts are now necessary to meet the 
increasing needs of family caregivers.
  That is why I am reintroducing the Lifespan Respite Care Act today 
with Senator John Warner. This legislation would improve efficiency and 
reduce duplication in respite service development and delivery. And it 
would make quality respite care available and accessible to families 
and family caregivers, regardless of their Medicaid status, disability, 
or age. It would assure that quality respite care is available for all 
caregivers who provide this labor of love to individuals across the 
lifespan.
  My legislation picks up where the National Family Caregiver Support 
Program leaves off, by recognizing respite as a priority for caregivers 
and elevating respite as a policy priority at the Federal and State 
levels.
  This bill would provide grants to develop a coordinated system of 
respite care services for family caregivers of individuals with special 
needs regardless of age. Funds could also be used to increase respite 
care services or to train respite care workers or volunteers.
  There is much to do at the local, State, and Federal levels to 
address the growing needs of family caregivers. It is time that we make 
caregiving a national priority and provide the support that our family 
caregivers so desperately need.
  I would like to thank my Senate colleagues for their support of this 
legislation which passed the Senate last Congress. I look forward to 
working with you all to improve the lives of our family caregivers, and 
those for whom they care.
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