The latest policy spotlight published by the University of Illinois System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs highlights the importance of family caregivers to the state’s health care system and the need to better integrate them.
The report written by Minakshi Raj, Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Applied Health Sciences, Director, Aging, Caregiving, and Technology Lab, University of Illinois, examines the benefits of the 2016 Illinois Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act and identifies existing barriers to its implementation that warrant further study.
“Towards realizing the value of the CARE Act: How do we effectively support family caregivers in Illinois?” highlights the economic value and positive patient outcomes that family caregivers provide, as well as the mental, economic and physical costs that this work imposes on caregivers. The CARE Act, a model policy by AARP, eases these costs by requiring hospitals to formally record family caregivers in patient records; notify them of discharge plans; and offer training for medical tasks they may be required to perform.
However, studies reviewing the implementation of the CARE Act in other states show potential barriers to its full effectiveness. For example, a 2017 study of Pennsylvania hospital executives found that while 63.6% of hospitals implemented some components of the CARE Act, caregivers were only receiving education in 31.8% of hospital stays.
“Although the CARE Act prioritizes the hospital setting, the network of health care organizations and social support programs that caregivers navigate daily to support their relatives is complex and ever-growing. Thus, prioritizing an understanding of this critical aspect of caregiving may be a basic first step to improve supports for caregivers in Illinois,” Raj said.
