Dear [Your Elected Official],

<p>As your constituent, I respectfully request you vote AYE on AB 960 (Garcia) which will ensure that people with disabilities and/or cognitive impairment, including dementia, have a friend or family caregiver with them in the hospital as needed.</p> <p>This bill will require general acute care hospitals to allow patients with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, a patient with cognitive impairment, including dementia, and a patient with another disability, to have a family or friend caregiver with them as needed. Alzheimer’s and other dementias are neurodegenerative diseases which can impair a person’s cognitive abilities including thinking, remembering, and reasoning. A person with dementia may not be able to communicate, experience difficulty in movement, may wander and get lost, struggle with normal daily tasks, and have personality and behavior changes. For those in the later stages of the disease, they may be completely dependent on others for care.</p> <p>A friend or family caregiver can provide comfort and support. They can provide important healthcare information, advocate for personal preferences, and assist in communication. Debbie is a caregiver to her mother who has dementia. When Debbie leaves to take a short coffee break, her mother becomes agitated and combative. Nurses restrain her, tying her to the bed so that she doesn’t remove her IV. When she’s with her mother, she is calm and does not need to be restrained. But when visiting hours are over, she’s told to leave.</p> <p>AB 960 will ensure that caregivers like Debbie can remain with their loved one and help make sure they have a positive hospital experience.</p> <p>Please vote AYE on AB 960. </p>