Dear Caregivers,
Last week the House passed the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations bill that includes first-time funding of $2.5 million for Lifespan Respite. However, there is significant concern that the bill could be delayed or even derailed in the Senate.
Please contact your Senators immediately (they are considering the bill right now on the floor) and urge them to support the omnibus bill and then mobilize your grassroots to do the same (Message Below). If the omnibus fails a cloture vote in the Senate, Congress will revert to a year-long Continuing Resoution with most disability, health, education and social service programs funded at the FY 2008 level, and NO funding for Lifespan Respite.
All Senators should be contacted (see http://www.senate.gov/ for your Senators’ contact information), but the following Senators are leaning no or undecided and especially need to hear from Omnibus supporters:
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Sen, Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Please pass on this message:
MESSAGE: I urge you to immediately pass the Fiscal 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill and oppose efforts to pass a continuing resolution for the remainder of the fiscal year.
A continuing resolution would result in drastic cuts to vital programs that are already struggling to address the unmet needs of people with disabilities. A continuing resolution does not permit even minimal growth in program funding to address inflation.
Moreover, long-awaited funding for the Lifespan Respite program would be completely eliminated. This new program was enacted in 2006 to support the nation’s 50 million family caregivers who provide the backbone of long-term care in the US, but it has never been funded. This bill includes a modest $2.5 million for respite to help families avoid or delay much more costly nursing home or foster care placements. In these difficult financial times, it is more important than ever that the federal government expand the safety net that protects people with disabilities and their families from untenable situations.
Please pass the Fiscal 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. Thank you for your consideration.
PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS and ENCOURAGE ALL THE FAMILY CAREGIVERS YOU KNOW TO JOIN THE NFCA COMMUNITY OF CAREGIVERS. THERE IS NO COST! Just click here: http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org
[…] Caregiver Support Blog provides useful information about the pending legislation that may not pass the appropriations […]
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An elderly homecare service may be exactly what a person needs in order to maintain their independence and reside in their own home. Every year, individuals who would rather not, are forced to move into a retirement village or in with a family member because they are not able to handle the day-to-day activities required of them in order to live alone. If a person is not able to cook for themselves, clean or pick up their prescription medications, it’s simply not safe for them to reside by themselves. Fortunately, there are organizations available that will provide these types of services to people who need them. They help individuals who might not otherwise be able to, stay in their homes
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I plan to use the lifespan respite legislation as a talking point in my caregiver group this week. Does anyone know other related initiatives that honor caregivers for their necessary work and sacrifice on behalf of loved ones?
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Thank you for making this a highlighted topic on your blog. I believe that with baby boomers, like me, getting older while caring for their parents we will need to really come up with some good legislation that reimburses family caregivers so that society is not paying the bill for millions of older people living longer and not necessarily healthier.
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