Lawmakers told investment in respite care will save state money

Lawmakers were told Tuesday that increasing funding for respite care will save the state money in the long run.

The information was presented before a House committee during an interim study requested by Rep. Carol Bush, R-Tulsa.

Respite care provides a break to full-time caregivers, such as parents caring for a child with disabilities, a child caring for a parent, or a grandparent caring for a grandchild or greatgrandchild.

It can involve adult daycare or having a provider come in to give the primary caregiver a break.

Chad Mullen, associate state director for AARP Oklahoma, said the Medicaid reimbursement rate for a person in a nursing home is $54,750 annually, compared to the annual average respite expense of $1,400.

According to AARP's Oklahoma Caregiver Profile, there are 524,000 unpaid family caregivers proving 488 million hours of unpaid care a year at a value of $6 billion.

Carole Carter, a spokeswoman for LIFE Senior Services in Tulsa, said caregivers have higher levels of depression and stress and lower levels of selfcare.

LIFE Senior Services is a nonprofit, United Way agency that provides services to 27,000 seniors and caregivers.

Some 72 percent of caregivers don't go to the doctor as needed, Carter said.

"Respite is vital," she said. "It helps caregivers better balance their lives and improves their physical and emotional health. Respite enables caregivers to go to the doctor, have lunch with friends, enjoy a hobby or even just rest."

Rona Tracy of Stillwater has three children, ages 17, 15 and 11. The youngest has a disability.

Tracy said she used respite care to attend sporting events of an older child. She said the older children needed some attention as well.

She said she is doing better mentally now that she has received some help.

Lori Gracey moved her parents into her Broken Arrow home. Her father is a World War II veteran who uses adult daycare.

Her father can't be left alone, she said.

Due to respite care, she and her mother have not had to look at putting him into a nursing home, she said.