Hillary Clinton
Among Hillary Clinton’s legislative efforts, she advocated for the need for respite care for caregivers. When she was a senator, she co-sponsored and championed a bill that became the law entitled the “Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (HR 2348).” The law acknowledged the millions of Americans caring for a loved one in the home by authorizing $289 million over five years for state grants to help families access quality, affordable respite care.
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan’s efforts have included lobbying Congress to get legislation passed to expand stem cell research. She also speaks publicly about her personal caregiving journey and the need to recognize caregivers as a crucial part of the care team around a loved one.
Rosalynn Carter

Rosalynn Carter was only 12 years old when her father was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. As the eldest daughter, she helped care for him and supported her mother by also caring for her younger siblings. She took up caregiving again for several relatives with cancer after she left the White House and most recently was caregiver for her mother who died in 2000 at age 94.
A long-time devoted and determined advocate for those Americans with mental health issues, Rosalynn Carter is also behind the founding of the Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI) for Caregiving in Americus, Georgia. The mission of the RCI is to establish local, state, and national partnerships with organizations focused on quality, long-term home and community based services to help caregivers. The RCI activities include a variety of advocacy, academic, and awards and scholarship programs.
Laura Bush

While campaigning with her husband George Bush when he was running for governor of Texas, Laura Bush helped care for her father, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. During that time, she wrote an essay about that struggles of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, entitled, “The Sad Goodbye,” which was published in the Shriver Report on Alzheimer’s.
At the Fairfax and Fredericksburg Elder Law Firm of Evan H. Farr, P.C., we applaud these former first ladies on their education and advocacy efforts for caregivers. We recognize that caring for a loved one strains even the most resilient people, and if you’re a caregiver, you need to take steps to preserve your own health and well-being. Part of taking care of yourself is planning for your future and for your loved ones. Please call us at our Virginia Elder Law Fairfax office at 703-691-1888 or at our Virginia Elder Law Fredericksburg office at 540-479-1435 to make an appointment for an introductory consultation.