STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5621
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 29, 2013
___________
Introduced by Sen. ADAMS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing the office
for caregiver advocates, a support network for relatives who act as a
primary caregiver for an older adult relative
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 224 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 224. Office for caregiver advocates. 1. The director is hereby
4 authorized and directed, to the extent appropriations are available
5 therefor, to develop and establish an office for adult caregiver advo-
6 cates for the purpose of providing support services to relatives who act
7 as a primary caregiver for an older adult relative. The primary purpose
8 of such office shall be to provide information and education to adult
9 relative caregivers as their relative transitions in the aging process.
10 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
11 (a) "adult relative caregivers" shall mean any relative of an elderly
12 adult whether by blood or marriage who: (i) is eighteen years of age or
13 older, and (ii) lives with the elderly adult, or (iii) provides caregiv-
14 er services for the elderly adult because the elderly adult is no longer
15 able to care for themselves in whole or in part because of their age.
16 (b) "caregiver services" shall include but not be limited to: (i)
17 verbal reminding, physical cueing or supervision, (ii) providing assist-
18 ance with activities of daily living including eating, toileting, trans-
19 ferring, bathing, dressing, and maintaining continence.
20 (c) "elderly adult" shall mean an individual who is sixty years of age
21 or older who is unable to perform at least two activities of daily
22 living without substantial human assistance.
23 3. The responsibilities of the office for caregiver advocates may
24 include, but are not limited to: (a) the creation of caregiver advo-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11297-01-3
S. 5621 2
1 cates resource centers by local offices for the aging in New York state,
2 (b) technical assistance and training for adult relative caregivers, (c)
3 information and referral for adult relative caregivers, (d) assistance
4 to adult relative caregivers in gaining access to available services,
5 (e) counseling to adult relative caregivers in making decisions and
6 solving problems relating to their caregiving roles, and (f) the publi-
7 cation and dissemination of printed material related to services avail-
8 able to adult relative caregivers and the elderly adults they care for.
9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
