Bipartisan Georgia Caregivers Act Becomes Law
ATLANTA —This week Governor Kemp signed into law House Bill 1304 - the Georgia Caregivers Act. The bill, which passed unanimously out of both the House and Senate, will help to support Georgia’s 1.2 million unpaid family caregivers by ensuring that they receive the training they need to properly care for their loved ones at home following a hospital stay.
“Family caregivers are the backbone of our state’s long-term care system, keeping their loved ones at home for as long as possible as they age,” said AARP Georgia State Director Debra Tyler Horton. “The Georgia Caregivers Act is a no-cost commonsense solution that will help support family caregivers and keep Georgia seniors in their homes and communities and out of costly institutions.”
In 2021, more than half of Georgia’s hospitals were penalized for excessive patient readmissions. Proper training for family caregivers could help reduce these costly hospital readmissions. The Georgia Caregivers Act was sponsored in the House by Representative Lee Hawkins and in the Senate by Senator Dean Burke.
“AARP would like to thank the legislature for their efforts to support family caregivers,” added Tyler Horton.
The Georgia Caregivers Act will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
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About AARP AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.
