HHS Seats RAISE Family Caregiver Act Advisory Council

The RAISE Family Caregiver Act, which became law in January 2018, was created to support the development and execution of a national family caregiving strategy through the convening of a Family Caregiving Advisory Council. On August 28th-29th, the Advisory Council will meet for the first time.

The Department of Health and Human Services's (HHS) announcement also includes the complete list of advisory council members. In keeping with the RAISE Family Caregiver Act’s mandate, the council includes 15 voting members, representing the diversity of family caregivers and those who receive support. The council also includes 14 non-voting federal members from The Administration for Community Living (ACL), Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, Veterans Affairs, and other relevant departments and agencies overseeing labor and workforce, economic, government financial policies, community service, and other impacted populations. View the list of council members and get more information on the first meeting HERE.

The first meeting of the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Advisory Council has also been announced, and is set to occur on August 28-29th. Information on this meeting can be found HERE. Both the RAISE Family Caregiving and the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Advisory Council meetings are open to the public and will be available on live stream.

Eldercare Locator Service Gets Facelift

The Administration for Community Living ("ACL) announced the launch of its newly redesigned Eldercare Locator website. Located online at eldercare.acl.gov, the updated website makes it easier for older adults and their caregivers to find essential aging resources. Launched in 1991, the Eldercare Locator is a national information and referral resource providing support to consumers across the spectrum of issues affecting older Americans.

According to the announcement, new features include:

• A mobile-optimized design to easily access the Eldercare Locator on a computer, phone, or tablet;
• A geographical search bar allows visitors to search for local aging resources from any page on the site;
• Caregiver Corner with answers to the most frequently asked questions the Eldercare Locator Call Center receives from caregivers;
• A new “Learn More About” section that provides information on popular topics like transportation, support services, elder rights, housing, health, and insurance and benefits;
• A centralized location that enables older adults and caregivers access Eldercare Locator brochures on topics important to their health and well-being.

For more than 25 years, the Eldercare Locator Call Center and website have served as critical tools to assist older adults and those who support them in navigating the range of services and options available to seniors. In 2017, more than 470,000 visitors accessed the Eldercare Locator’s website. The Call Center receives more than 350,000 calls every year and answered its 4 millionth call earlier this year.

ACL encourages all consumers to explore the new website. ACL will continue to expand and update resources to provide valuable information for older adults and their caregivers to serve its vital and ever growing aging population.