Georgia Senate study committee hears wide-ranging testimony on family caregiving needs

State senators convened a Senate Study Committee meeting in Augusta to examine family caregiving needs across Georgia, hearing detailed testimony on the scale of unpaid caregiving, gaps in services, workforce shortages and programs already operating in the state.

State Senator Harold Jones, who opened the session as the committee chair, said the panel’s charge is to “bring attention to this issue” and to identify practical options lawmakers could consider. Multiple presenters described caregiving as a common, long-term responsibility: Wallace White of AARP cited the 2025 AARP/National Alliance for Caregiving report estimating roughly 63 million family caregivers nationwide and said family caregiving often amounts to a full-time job. Deborah Minor, aging services director at the Area Agency on Aging (Triple-A) for the Central Savannah River Area, reviewed U.S. and Georgia census data showing a rapidly growing older population and noted particular strain in rural counties.

The hearing highlighted several existing programs and training efforts. Dr. Ken Hepburn of Emory University described Georgia MemoryNet, a statewide network of memory assessment clinics that provides definitive diagnosis, caregiver assessments and a “caregiving road map” that links families to local services and primary-care providers. He also described the Savvy Caregiver training (a six‑session group curriculum now offered virtually through Georgia MemoryNet) as a tool that increases caregivers’ knowledge, confidence and emotional well-being.

Speakers representing nonprofit and advocacy groups — including Wallace White (AARP), Jennifer Pennington of Via Cognitive Health, Alexis Williams of the Alzheimer’s Association and Beverly Berry of the Alzheimer’s Association national office — summarized community resources, educational materials, caregiver guides and local support groups. Jennifer Pennington described Via Cognitive Health in Augusta as a campus for brain‑health services and caregiver support and said families often find practical help and respite there. Presenters repeatedly emphasized that caregivers need reliable in‑home services, training, respite and clearer pathways to local resources.

Researchers on the panel highlighted disparities and research gaps. Dr. Karen Moss (Ohio State University) and Dr. Robert Turner (George Washington University/Duke University affiliate) focused on dementia prevalence in Georgia and on the mental‑health and cognitive impacts of caregiving. They and Beverly Berry emphasized that Black Americans face elevated dementia risk and that Black caregivers — and Black men in particular — are underrepresented in research and often face additional barriers to care and support.

Public commenters described the lived experience of caregiving and urged policy change. Several family members said they lacked clear discharge training from hospitals and recommended policies requiring hospitals and discharge planners to connect families to caregiver training and community resources before patients leave acute care. One public commenter, Katrina Holmes, urged reexamining Medicare and rehabilitation coverage rules so patients can access a longer, need‑based rehabilitation stay rather than prolonged acute‑care days, arguing that stronger rehab access would reduce family burden.

Committee members said they will use the testimony to develop future hearings with focused themes — including workforce and economic support. Senator Jones said subsequent meetings will consider direct‑pay caregiver models used in other states and other solutions raised in the hearing.

The session compiled a broad factual record: presenters supplied national and Georgia statistics on aging and caregiving, described community programs that are active now, and identified gaps in access, training and paid supports that could guide future legislative options.