The state of Michigan still has a way to go when it comes to serving its aging residents.
A new national scorecard by the AARP ranks the state 31st in terms of long-term services and support for the elderly.
The report also focused on how well states support family caregivers who provide the bulk of care for older Michiganders. This can cause stress and financial burden on those families, especially those who are juggling their own families and full-time jobs.
Lisa Cooper is the manager of advocacy at AARP Michigan. She says the state can improve the care of the elderly by helping their caregivers.
"We can and need to make the experience a better experience for them to improve the access, to training that they have, to reduce the stress that they face in their daily life," says Cooper.
She also wants to see legislation that allows caregivers very basic medical training once their loved one is discharged from the hospital.
"It would reduce the chance that the family caregiver who has the greatest intentions will just not get something right because nobody ever showed them how to do something and it’s not something they had done before."
Cooper hopes this report will help spark a debate about introducing the new legislation.
There are more than two million caregivers in Michigan.
– Reem Nasr, Michigan Radio Newsroom
