Elder Care

Nearly one in five of our neighbors in Florida’s Sixth Senatorial District is 65 or older. They are our elders and after a lifetime of hard work (many are working harder than ever!) and continuing to care for children and grandchildren, they deserve better. 

Jason’s mother is still employed full-time at 70 years old after a lifetime of labor. He and his family are also fortunate enough to still be an active part of his grandmother’s life, who celebrated her 90th birthday last year.  

As Florida's population continues to grow and age, demand for services is expected to exceed current funding levels unless future Legislatures provide additional investments. To support these older adults, Jason is committed to policies that address the challenges so many older Floridians face: 

  • Access to affordable, person-centered care

  • Increasing demand for home- and community-based services

  • Ongoing pressures on caregivers

  • Rising health care and long-term care costs

  • Increasing incidence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Jason will always advocate for the protection and well-being of our state’s most vulnerable adults. You can count on him to work with other legislators to: 

  • Increase appropriations for home and community-based services

  • Provide additional funding for caregiver support

  • Make larger investments in social services 

  • Preserve the long-term sustainability of Florida’s aging services system

Jason's mom, Debbie, and grandma, Martha (aka "Nanny"), visiting the horse retirement farm in Alachua.

Priority: Improve Access to Affordable Health Care

Everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, no matter if they live in a big city or rural community. Jason supports Medicaid expansion in Florida so cost is no longer a barrier for Floridians–which includes those 60 to 64 who might fall into coverage gaps. 

There are other priorities that the Florida Legislature should consider in increasing older adults’ access to health care in our many rural communities across north Florida and throughout the state:

  • Expanding incentives for physicians, nurses, and behavioral health professionals to practice in underserved communities

  • Supporting telehealth while improving rural broadband access

  • Expanding mobile medical and dental clinics

  • Increasing partnerships between hospitals, federally-qualified health centers, and community organizations

Priority: Support Aging in Place

Jason believes strongly in community-based care that enables aging in place so that people can remain at home in a familiar setting while ensuring access to higher levels of care when needed. At the heart of his beliefs is a simple principle: every older adult should have the freedom to choose where and how they live with dignity, independence, and purpose. Research has consistently shown that being forced to leave one's home can take a serious toll on older adults' physical and emotional health. Many older adults face the emotional challenge of letting go of homes and possessions that hold a lifetime of memories. These transitions can be overwhelming and should be approached with care, compassion, and the support needed to help older adults maintain their well-being and independence.

Our campaign supports increased appropriations for Florida's Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) Program. State funding for CCE supports essential services for older adults who do not qualify for Medicaid, including personal care, home-delivered meals, housekeeping assistance, transportation, companion services, and respite care that gives family caregivers a much-needed break. More investment in CCE can help reduce the waiting list for services, ensuring more older Floridians can live safely in their own homes and communities and delay or even prevent nursing home placement. 

For many older adults, simply getting up and down the stairs can become a daily challenge. Nearly 40% report difficulty using stairs, and one in three suffers a fall each year, often leading to injuries that threaten their independence. Accordingly, Jason supports increased investments in fall-prevention programs for older adults who live in their own homes and expanding home safety and home modification grants.  

For the past 17 years, Jason has been a volunteer and leader with the Community Weatherization Coalition, a local project of Rebuilding Together North Central Florida, which helps neighbors lower their utility bills, access critical home repair, and make adjustments to their home to help them age in place. He has seen firsthand the difference that such services make for our seniors.

Priority: Family Caregivers

Family caregivers often face significant financial challenges while caring for aging loved ones. Many have lower household incomes than others their age and spend thousands of dollars out of their own pockets on medical expenses, medications, home modifications, transportation, and other caregiving needs. 

Thousands of older Floridians want to remain in their own homes, but many are waiting for assistance that would make that possible. Jason supports an expansion in both eligibility in and funding for the Home Care for the Elderly (HCE) Program that would help older Floridians who are at risk of needing nursing home care continue living safely with the support of family caregivers. The HCE program provides modest financial assistance to help cover the costs of daily care, including personal care services, medical and nutritional supplies, and other essential needs. Even a small increase in financial assistance to family caregivers helps older adults maintain their independence and dignity. And by delaying or preventing more costly institutional care, both taxpayers and families benefit.  

Families caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia shouldn't have to do it alone. Increasing funding for the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative (ADI) would help hundreds of seniors currently on the waiting list receive the care and support they need while giving family caregivers much-needed relief. The program provides services such as respite care, case management, and in-home assistance that help reduce caregiver stress.

Other Key Priorities

While expanding access to health care is essential, more is needed to directly address the root issue. Too many older Floridians are struggling with an affordability crisis that makes it difficult to pay for health care, housing, food, and other basic necessities. As a state senator, Jason will advocate for increasing funding for age-friendly housing development anchored in “aging in place” principles; examining targeted property tax relief for qualifying older adults; and sustaining efforts to improve stability in Florida's property insurance market. 

We also need to be more strategic about the workforce supporting older Floridians by enhancing recruitment and retention strategies for nurses, home health aides, certified nursing assistants, and other caregivers through education, career pathways, competitive compensation, and reimbursement reforms. Additionally, Florida should continue to focus on fraud prevention education, increase public funding for legal assistance, ensure consumer protection, and boost the availability of benefits counseling to help older adults become more financially secure.