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AARP Alabama Joins Other Groups in Calling on Congress to Pass the 'RAISE Family Caregivers Act'
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(79 seconds total)
-- How Will You Use This Story? --
(Suggested Anchor Intro):
A large group of organizations are pressing Congress to take action to support
family-caregivers--who help veterans, individuals with disabilities, older parents, and others, live at home.
The bipartisan "RAISE Family-Caregivers Act" has already passed, unanimously, in the U-S
Senate--and now awaits action in the House. One of these groups--the
"Elizabeth Dole Foundation"--works with military-caregivers.
Senator Dole says...
(DOLE):
"FIVE-AND-A-HALF-MILLION MILITARY- AND VETERAN-CAREGIVERS ARE CARING FOR LOVED-ONES WITH DEVASTATING WOUNDS, ILLNESSES, AND DISABLING
INJURIES--VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. BY PASSING THE 'RAISE ACT', WE CAN CREATE AN IMPORTANT PATH FORWARD, SO MILITARY
FAMILY-CAREGIVERS--ALL FAMILY-CAREGIVERS--GET THE SUPPORT THEY DESPERATELY NEED."
(Suggested Anchor Bridge):
The "RAISE Act" would create a national strategy to support family-caregivers.
Britnee Fergins cares for her father; she says...
(FERGINS):
"MY 91-YEAR-OLD
FATHER--WHO'S A 'WORLD-WAR TWO' VETERAN--REQUIRES A LOT OF ATTENTION. I ALSO HAVE A VERY ENERGETIC, THREE-YEAR-OLD
SON--AND I WORK 12-HOUR SHIFTS AS A CHEMIST. IT'S A CONSTANT
JUGGLING-ACT--AND, SOME DAYS, I'M AFRAID I'M GOING TO DROP THE BALL."
(Suggested Anchor Bridge):
Family-caregivers, like Britnee, provide unpaid care valued at about
470-billion dollars, annually. "Autism
Speaks" executive vice-president of programs and services, Lisa
Goring, says...
(GORING):
"MILLIONS OF FAMILY-MEMBERS ARE FORCED TO STEP IN, AS FULL-TIME CAREGIVERS, TO KEEP THEIR LOVED-ONES WITH AUTISM AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SAFE AND SUPPORTED.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR A NATIONAL STRATEGY TO SUPPORT ALL FAMILY-CAREGIVERS--TO ENSURE THEIR LOVED-ONES A BETTER FUTURE."
(Suggested Anchor Bridge):
The groups say family-caregiving crosses political and ideological divides.
"A-A-R-P Alabama" state-director, Candi Williams,
says...
(WILLIAMS):
"RIGHT NOW, MORE THAN 761-THOUSAND ALABAMIANS ARE CARING FOR LOVED-ONES, SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE AT
HOME--HELPING TO DELAY OR PREVENT MORE-COSTLY CARE. THEY HELP SAVE TAXPAYER-DOLLARS.
THE 'RAISE ACT' IS A COMMONSENSE STEP, TO MAKE FAMILY-CAREGIVERS' BIG RESPONSIBILITIES JUST A LITTLE BIT EASIER."
(Suggested Anchor Tag):
To contact your representative about the
"RAISE Act", call 1-844-259-9351.
