Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 26 : Fall 2015 | Page 33

economic value of $2.22 billion statewide
for this unpaid care. Most seniors who
receive assistance at home rely exclusively
on these unpaid family caregivers for help.
The CARE Act is a significant step in
providing critical supports to these family
caregivers and their loved ones.
This bill features three important
provisions: The name of the family
caregiver is recorded when a loved one
is admitted into a hospital; the family
caregiver is notified if the loved one is
to be discharged back home; and, the
facility must provide an explanation of the
medical tasks that the family caregiver will
perform to help their loved one recover at
home.
In addition to these two victories, there
were other positive outcomes this session.
The budget passed without the proposed
cuts to the Medicare Savings Program and
Drugs for the Elderly, which would have
impacted the ability of tens of thousands
of Mainers to cover their health care and
prescription drug costs. AARP members
voiced their concerns about the proposed
cuts by testifying before the Joint Standing
Committees on Appropriations and
Financial Affairs and Health and Human
Services and by delivering hundreds of
petitions from Maine citizens across the
state to legislative leadership.

Seniors. As a result, $14.5 million will
be allocated to building new homes for
Mainers who are in need of a more accessible
and affordable home and $500,000 will be
allocated to the weatherization of existing
homes. Four of these housing projects
will be built in counties with fewer than
100,000 people, thereby ensuring that the
most rural parts of the state are prioritized.
The need for housing that is safe, accessible
and affordable for older Mainers is critical
considering right now there are over 9,000
Maine seniors on waiting lists.
The remaining bonds were carried over
to the next legislative session along with
a couple of other important issues. Work
and Save, LD 1318, An Act to Promote
Individual Private Savings Accounts
through Public-Private Partnerships and
a number of bills that would deregulate
and potentially eliminate basic landline
phone services require further work with
the committee. AARP Maine will be
participating in a stakeholder process for
both issues and once again working toward
more legislative victories on behalf of the
more than 230,000 AARP members who
reside in Maine.

AARP Maine fought for legislative victories
on issues that matter to Mainers and their
families. If you have any questions or
comments or would like to learn more
about the Security Freeze, the CARE Act,
Two important bonds were passed this or our other legislative priorities, visit our
session, one of which is LD 1205, An Act website www.aarp.org/me or call our toll
to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue free number 1-866-554-5380.
to Support the Independence of Maine

FALL 2015

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