Statement from Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation
Senator Dole and I are proud to be at the White House today as President Biden announces the most comprehensive set of executive actions directed at strengthening the nation’s support of the most overlooked providers of care in America, chiefly unpaid family caregivers.
The country’s ability to provide worldclass care to our wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans rests heavily on the shoulders of the more than 5.5 million family members and friends voluntarily providing care. The experience of these military caregivers also stands out from civilian family caregivers, due to the complexity and severity of military injuries and the young age at which many veterans begin requiring care.
The President’s executive actions have the potential to provide relief in some of the areas of greatest need for military caregivers, as first identified by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Among them are the inadequacies in home-based care, high costs of personal care assistance, lack of respite care services, limited access to mental health resources, and healthcare settings that do not fully include caregivers in the veteran’s care team. The executive order also builds on key steps outlined in the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.
Each of the President’s executive actions are an important step forward; however, many more steps must still be taken by government agencies, private sector supporters, and nonprofit advocates. Military caregivers and their families still face a level of crisis that requires a comprehensive, nationwide response. We are grateful that the Biden Administration, including Dr. Jill Biden’s Joining Forces initiative, has supported the Elizabeth Dole Foundation in leading that response. We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration to introduce more urgently-needed reforms and extend additional lifelines of relief.
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More information can be found via the White House: FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Most Sweeping Set of Executive Actions to Improve Care in History.
