Caregiver CEO outlines three federal fixes

Jason Resendez stood before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging this week to present a three-part plan for the 60 million Americans who balance jobs and family with the care of aging relatives. Resendez, the president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, argued that current federal support is insufficient for the scale of the challenge.

His first recommendation involves the Older Americans Act. Resendez explained that this law directs funds to state Area Agencies on Aging, which deliver services like Meals on Wheels. A specific federal line item within the act, the National Family Caregiver Support Program, provides respite care, training, and peer support for family caregivers. The program currently receives about $200 million annually, a figure Resendez described as a drop in the bucket compared to the national need.

The second policy is a national paid family and medical leave program. Resendez noted that the United States remains one of the few industrialized nations without such a federal system. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have established their own programs due to the lack of federal action. Virginia recently became the first southern state to implement a statewide mandate. A federal program would allow workers to provide care without leaving the workforce or risking income.

The third priority focuses on Medicare. Resendez urged lawmakers to expand the program's recognition of family caregivers. This includes improving access to caregiver training and strengthening in-home health benefits. He stated that these changes would modernize a system created in 1965 to reflect how older adults live today. Extending these benefits to families at all income levels, rather than just low-income individuals covered by Medicaid, would transform the aging experience in America.

When pressed to identify the single most beneficial policy if only one passed, Resendez selected Medicare. He argued that changes there would provide immediate support and address a gap in the system. He called for parity with Medicaid services for low-income families, asserting that such a move would revolutionize how care is provided across the country.

Gerontologist Sam Cradduck, who joined Resendez for the discussion, asked for a concrete step stakeholders could take within the next 30 days. For Congress, Resendez identified the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act as a straightforward, bipartisan vote. He urged policymakers to cast that vote to secure funding for state agencies.

For employers, the immediate action is simpler. Resendez said companies should systematically ask employees whether they have caregiving responsibilities. He noted that many employers do not currently ask this question. Without that data, organizations fail to design benefits for staff who manage both work duties and unpaid caregiving roles.