COLUMBUS – About 1.5 million Ohioans are among the 48 million Americans who help take care of older parents, spouses, grandparents and other loved ones so they can live independently as long as possible.
That “free” care comes at a price, according to the nation’s leading senior advocacy organization.
A recent AARP report found Ohioans provide $21 billion in care each year, $4 million more in unpaid work than in 2019.
“We know that 58% spend over eleven hours a week providing unpaid labor, 40% spend over 20 hours a week doing so. We’re spending about $7,000 annually out of their own pocket on these care-related costs,” AARP Ohio state director Holly Holtzen said.
Holtzen says family caregivers help with medications, medical care, meals, bathing, dressing, chores, finances, and are physically, emotionally, and financially overwhelmed caring for their loved one.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nation’s aging baby boomer population is driving up the need for caregiving, making it an emerging public health issue.
The AARP offers free care guides, information checklists, an online support community and other resources for caregivers on its website.
An AARP survey released this year found 70% of voters say they are likely to support a political candidate who backs proposals to support family caregivers, such as tax credits, paid family leave and respite services.