Chairman Rick Scott and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand will convene a Senate Aging Committee hearing on May 13 to examine the challenges faced by Americans caring for both aging parents and young children. The session, titled “Caught in the Middle: Supporting Families in the Sandwich Generation,” will take place at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
The hearing aims to address issues affecting an estimated 11 million Americans who balance caregiving responsibilities for two generations. Unpaid family caregivers provide about $600 billion in unpaid care each year, filling gaps that health systems cannot manage alone.
Scott has introduced several legislative measures intended to support caregivers. These include the bipartisan SENIOR Act, which promotes programs aimed at reducing loneliness among older adults; and the Multigenerational Home Caregiver Credit Act, which proposes a $2,000 tax credit for adult family members providing hands-on care for aging relatives. He has also supported bills such as the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act and the Older Americans Act Reauthorization of 2025.
Gillibrand has led efforts like the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act, which would offer five years of Social Security retirement credits to those spending at least 80 hours per month caring for dependent relatives. She also supports the FAMILY Act, designed to guarantee up to twelve weeks of partial income for workers needing leave due to medical or family caregiving obligations.
Witnesses scheduled include Karla Radka of Senior Resource Alliance; Meghan Maher, an end-of-life doula and caregiver; Jason Resendez from National Alliance for Caregiving; Josh Protas from Meals on Wheels America; and Rebecca Preve from Association on Aging in New York.
The Senate Aging Committee examines issues such as Social Security, Medicare, long-term care, retirement security, fraud prevention resources like a hotline service, federal program oversight including elder abuse prevention through hearings and policy recommendations—all with nationwide reach—according to the official website.
The committee maintains offices in both Dirksen (majority) and Hart (minority) Senate Office Buildings. Scott serves as chair while Gillibrand is ranking member according to its official website.
