The Republican and Democratic parties approved their national platforms at their conventions in July 2016. You can learn more on our pages for the Democratic National Platform and the Republican National Platform.

72 Nonprofit Organizations Call for Caregiving Language

In 2016 the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO.org) submitted draft language to the platform committees of both political parties. The LCAO is a coalition of 72 member associations dedicated to preserving and strengthening the well-being of America’s older population. Their recommendations are consistent with the approach the Family Caregiver Platform Project has taken. For example, the LCAO letter has a section titled “Support for Caregiving” that reads, in part:

We are committed to helping family caregivers by developing a long-term services and supports system that both expands access to home and community-based services and ensures a qualified interdisciplinary workforce that is appropriately trained and properly compensated. We believe it is critical to expand federal opportunities to support family caregivers through increasing federal funding for existing programs that help caregivers, including caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. We believe it is important to ensure that family caregivers have an explicit role in care plans and the services and supports they need to provide care; resources to alleviate financial hardships and promote retirement security; and access to flexible employment policies. We also believe it is important to encourage the creation of a volunteer “caregiver corps.”