Sen. Edward J. Markey has reintroduced a comprehensive suite of legislation aimed at supporting the needs of family caregivers, addressing their economic, physical, and emotional wellbeing. The proposals include financial literacy resources, expanded peer support programs, access to respite care, and medically tailored meals.

Markey, whose father cared for his mother for 13 years after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, described the legislation as personal. “It is time we invest in family caregivers what they invest into our loved ones. Family caregivers deserve to receive the recognition, services, support, and resources they are due,” he said.

The legislative package includes six key provisions:

  • Respite Care and Resources for Everyone (CARE) Act: Supports the creation of integrated settings where family caregivers can receive respite care alongside other supportive services. These services, provided under the Older Americans Act, include counseling, financial planning, nutrition literacy, and information about programs available for older adults and their caregivers.
  • Financial Services Improving Noble and Necessary Caregiving Experience (FINANCE) Act: Provides grants through the Older Americans Act to help caregivers with financial planning, budgeting, saving, debt management, and legal referrals for estate or will planning. It also connects caregivers to resources from the National Resource Center on Women and Retirement Planning.
  • Family Caregiver Peer Support Act: Authorizes $10 million annually in grants to create or expand peer support programs, prioritizing low-income, BIPOC, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and disabled caregivers.
  • Family Caregiving Research and Innovation Act: Expands the Administration on Community Living’s Innovation Lab to include family caregiving, supporting research and technical assistance to improve care delivery.
  • Disease Intervention through Nutrition Education (DINE) Act: Expands Food Is Medicine programs under the Older Americans Act to include screenings, referrals, and food-based interventions such as produce prescriptions, helping caregivers and care recipients address health and nutrition needs.
  • Convenient Care for Caregivers Act: Supports pilot programs that provide health care and other supportive services at the same time and location for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias and their family caregivers.

The legislation has received endorsements from the Gerontological Society of America, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.

Markey, alongside Sen. Susan Collins, also helped secure the designation of November 2025 as National Family Caregivers Month, recognizing the contributions of caregivers of all ages and advocating for policies that support their critical work.

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