The Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable Act is legislation passed in more than 40 states that supports family caregivers when loved ones are discharged from hospitals or skilled nursing facilities. It was created to help more than half of the 42 million U.S. family caregivers who perform medical or nursing tasks for their loved ones. It is law in 40 states and territories, and additional states are also considering legislation, according to AARP.
Deeper dive
The CARE Act specifies that
- the name of the family caregiver is recorded when a loved one is admitted into a hospital or rehabilitation facility
- The family caregiver is notified if the loved one is to be discharged to another facility or back home
- The hospital or rehabilitation facility must provide an explanation and live instruction of the medical tasks – such as medication management, injections, wound care and transfers – that the family caregiver will perform at home
The CARE Act identifies family caregivers and includes a patient-centered /family-centered care process. It offers anticipatory guidance for family caregivers expected to perform medical/nursing tasks and gives nurses and other health and social service professionals support to do what their professional standards of practice require them to do. Importantly, it encourages providers to anticipate patient and family questions and proactively support them, which leads to a reduction in hospital readmissions, according to AARP.