The long-term care industry now can check off one item from its holiday wish list: acknowledgment by a presidential candidate.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) took the lead last weekend in Iowa, addressing the issues of long-term care and long-term care insurance. She unveiled a $5 billion plan that she said would help make long-term care insurance more affordable and improve nursing home quality. The proposal includes a caregiving tax credit, greater tax deductions for the elderly, spending to help states recruit and retain caregivers, and investing to support unpaid family caregivers.

Providers, which have been pushing for candidates to address the challenges they routinely face, quickly praised the candidate.

“I commend Hillary Clinton for being the first presidential candidate to address the critical issue of long term care in America,” said Bruce Yarwood, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, in a weekend press release.