Getting old shouldn’t mean losing your independence. Having a disability or chronic condition shouldn’t mean you’re stuck at home because you can’t get to appointments. Seniors and people with health needs in the 88th District face impossible barriers: no public transportation, home health services stretched too thin, and families forced to quit jobs to become full-time caregivers. This isn’t just about healthcare; it’s about dignity.

Kiel believes people deserve to age in their communities with the support they need. As your state representative, he’ll fight for the services and infrastructure that make that possible.

Kiel will:

Expand home health services so seniors and people with disabilities can receive quality care at home instead of being forced into expensive nursing facilities they don’t want and families can’t afford.

Support family caregivers with respite care programs and tax credits that recognize the enormous burden families shoulder when caring for aging parents or disabled loved ones—caregiving is work, and it should be valued.

Invest in medical transportation services including expanded rural transit options, ride coordination programs, and partnerships with healthcare providers to ensure people can actually get to their appointments.

Strengthen the home care workforce by improving wages and working conditions for home health aides. You can’t provide quality care when workers are underpaid, overworked, and leaving the field in droves.

Remove barriers to care coordination by simplifying bureaucracy and improving communication between healthcare providers, insurance companies, and home health agencies so patients aren’t caught in the middle of red tape.

Support aging-in-place home modifications through grants and low interest loans that help seniors and people with disabilities make their homes safe and accessible. Updating your home to be more accessible such as installing ramps, widening doorways, and adapting bathrooms shouldn’t require going into debt.