LANSING— Senator Dennis Olshove (D-Warren) introduced legislation last week to provide vital financial assistance for senior citizens and the families who care for them.

“I heard from many senior citizens in my district that were inadvertently being penalized for having health problems that required them to be away from their primary residence, and that just shouldn’t be,” said Olshove. “We should also be doing everything we can to encourage and reward families who take in their parents for personal care, as it keeps family bonds close, makes our seniors most comfortable, and alleviates the financial burden on state-funded care facilities.”

Senate Bill 1273 would establish a tax credit for residents who care for their natural or adoptive parents in their own for 180 days or more in a calendar year. The credit would be pro-rated up to $1,000. Providing this credit to children who facilitate care in their own homes—where many seniors would feel more comfortable—could potentially save the state millions of dollars.

The other bill Sen. Olshove introduced this week, Senate Bill 1274, would allow senior citizens who are under the care of and living with another person or persons—from living with a family member to residing in a nursing home—to still qualify for a principle property tax reduction. This bill would provide a senior citizen or person the right to retain an exemption even though they might be away from their home for health reasons for an indefinite time. Sen. Olshove has been contacted by his constituents who were denied a Homestead exemption this tax season because they were not living in their principle residence. The bill will not change the Homestead law, but simply clarify that someone in respite care or in a nursing home will still qualify for assistance.

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