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Committee backs pilot grants to unpaid family caregivers for dementia care
Summary
The committee passed House Bill 1443 to create a pilot program providing $6,000 grants to eligible family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia, funded at $600,000 total, after the committee adopted an amendment and voted 20-0. Sponsors cited statewide caregiver counts and lost annual income estimates.
Representative Jones introduced the Caregiving for Caregivers Act, saying the bill would establish a pilot program to provide $6,000 grants to family caregivers of eligible relatives with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia, for a total program amount of $600,000. Jones gave state context, saying about 129,200 people aged 65 or older in Tennessee live with Alzheimer’s or related dementia and estimating 386,000 family members and friends serve as unpaid caregivers who provide an estimated 675,000,000 hours of unpaid care annually.
The committee considered and approved a drafting code amendment; after discussion the clerk reported a recorded vote of 20 ayes and 0 nays and the bill passed and moved to government operations. "A grant for $6,000, total $600,000," Jones said when explaining program structure.
