State Senator Joseph Griffo is urging Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to pass a bill he says will help caregivers receive the necessary resources they need to deliver care to older adults and others with long-term health needs in a home setting.

Griffo offered praise for passing the bill, which also passed by the Senate in April.

“In April, the Senate passed the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable -- or CARE -- Act, which I co-sponsored, that would reduce future hospitalizations of patients by ensuring that caregivers are involved in, and educated about, patients’ needs and how to best meet them once they leave the hospital,” he said in a prepared statement. “Despite the vast importance of caregivers in a patient's day-to-day care, many caregivers find that they are often left out of discussions involving a patient's care while in the hospital and, upon the patient's discharge, receive little to no instruction in the tasks they are expected to perform.”

Griffo says the CARE Act (S676A) would require hospitals to allow a patient the opportunity to identify a designated caregiver who can be notified to discuss that patient’s plan of care prior to their discharge or transfer from the facility. The hospital would also be required to notify and offer to meet with this caregiver to discuss the patient’s plan of care, and offer to adequately train the caregiver in certain aftercare tasks.

“There are many people driven by a sense of compassion to care for loved ones who no longer can care for themselves, and they often go above and beyond to do everything in their power to fulfill that obligation. But still there are challenges that unnecessarily get in the way, and I'm proud the Legislature has done what it can to support these dedicated caregivers,” he said.

“I urge the Governor to sign the CARE Act into law to help caregivers make informed healthcare decisions and more effectively manage a patient’s needs.”