From ABC7 New York · · 1m 10s
Sen. Andy Kim calls for caregiver reforms after father's Alzheimer's battle
Sen. Andy Kim pushes for Medicare at Home reforms after caring for father with Alzheimer's.
In brief
Sen. Andy Kim pushes for Medicare at Home reforms after caring for father with Alzheimer's. U.S. Sen. Andy Kim advocates for Medicare at Home and MediKids to support Alzheimer's caregivers and children's health coverage. Originally reported by ABC7 New York.
Sen. Andy Kim shares father's Alzheimer's struggle
U.S. Sen. Andy Kim says caring for his father with Alzheimer's has been hell since diagnosis.
“Since I last talked to you, it's been hell. It's been really hard”
Father develops psychosis
Kim's father has become aggressive and confrontational due to Alzheimer's psychosis.
“It's not just that he is losing his memory, as we all know alzheimer's does, but he has become incredibly aggressive, combative, confrontational”
Caregiving system struggles
Kim says finding appropriate care is difficult as places reject patients as too complex.
“We try to get in care, and the places that we try to apply for, we often get the message back: patient too complex”
Kim pushes Medicare at Home reforms
Kim advocates for Medicare at Home to expand in-home services for older adults needing care.
“This is a mission of mine. This is my life's work now”
MediKids proposal for children
Kim promotes MediKids to automatically enroll children in health coverage at birth.
“Health care for every child”
NIH funding concerns
Kim warns about NIH cuts and staff leaving affecting medical research.
“There have been efforts to try to cut the nihs, there have been, unfortunately, huge numbers of people leaving the nihs or funding that has not continued on that is devastating and needs to change”
Alzheimer's not political
Kim says Alzheimer's should not be a political issue and can unite people.
“Alzheimer's doesn't care if you're a democrat or republican, if ever there was an issue that can unite us, i think it is about care”
The one thing
U.S. Sen. Andy Kim advocates for Medicare at Home and MediKids to support Alzheimer's caregivers and children's health coverage.
