[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 27022]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to call the attention of the 
Senate to National Family Caregivers Month, sponsored by the National 
Family Caregivers Association. Every day more and more American 
families are put in the tough situation of taking care of their elderly 
loved ones. Caregivers are our friends, family, and neighbors who have 
become an instrumental part of providing the necessary care that their 
families need and deserve. Eighty percentof all homecare services today 
are provided by family caregivers, and I am proud to support them this 
month during National Caregivers Month. I have always been a strong 
supporter of family caregivers and have worked hard to make sure they 
get the resources and funding that they deserve.
  It has been my privilege to do all I can here on the federal level to 
help in this endeavor. Recently, the Washoe County Senior Services 
Respite Care Program needed resources to provide nonmedical respite 
care for those suffering from dementia, Alzheimer's, and a host of 
other terrible diseases. I secured the necessary funding in the 
Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 
2010. When this act passes, it will allot $95,000 to aid our seniors 
who are afflicted. And I am pleased that I was able to get bipartisan 
support for the passage of the Lifespan Respite Care Act. This act 
authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award matching 
grants to eligible state agencies that are in desperate need for 
funding to help families.
  As our fight for quality and affordable health care continues, I will 
make sure that our family caregivers get the support and resources that 
they need to continue this difficult task. We will do all we can during 
National Family Caregivers Month to give these dedicated family members 
the recognition they deserve.
  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ``An individual has not started 
living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his 
individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.'' I 
firmly believe that the National Family Caregivers Association 
characterizes this ideal. I wish this organization all the best as it 
works to raise awareness during National Family Caregivers Month.

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