"Robert's Law"

My father, a diligent and hardworking man his entire life, was denied access to state-assisted caregiver services purely because the current eligibility criteria fail to consider his critical living expenses. It has been a harsh awakening for our family to realize that expenses such as rent or mortgage, utilities, and insurances, which are deemed necessary in the qualification process for welfare assistance and subsidized childcare, are conveniently ignored when it comes to determining support for the elderly requiring care. My family was left trying to figure out how to make sure my father had someone with him as often as possible. With overlapping work schedules there were gaps in his care. He was denied services due to the above stated reasons as a result within a 40 minute gap in coverage my father fell. He broke his back, ribs, punctured his lung and sustained a head injury. My father never came home from the hospital. If his basic cost of living were considered in the decision from the state services program he would have met the financial need for care services.

This disparity leaves many elderly individuals and their families in financial distress, effectively punishing them for their living expenditures, which are, in reality, unavoidable. According to a 2022 AARP report, nearly half of the elderly in America struggle to meet basic expenses, which means too many are falling through the cracks of our current care systems.

It is critical to acknowledge that our elderly, who have contributed a lifetime of service to our society, deserve better treatment. As the population ages, the demand for caregiving services is only increasing, and yet, an outdated approach to assessing eligibility excludes many qualified individuals who find themselves ineligible, not because they can afford care, but because the system fails to reflect the actual costs of living today.

We need to urge our legislators to revise the caregiver assistance program's eligibility criteria to include essential living expenses. By doing so, we will ensure that those who truly need help irrespective of their fixed income levels can receive it and live with dignity in their golden years.

Please join me in urging our state lawmakers and policymakers to consider a more comprehensive, fair, and considerate approach to eligibility that considers the high cost of living. Sign this petition and be the voice for necessary change that our elderly citizens deserve, so no more families have to experience the hardship we are facing today.