2015 AARP Survey of Utah Registered Voters Age 45 and Older on Caregiving

The recently released study found that nearly all Utah family caregivers age 45-plus believe it is important to be able to provide care so that their loved ones can keep living independently in their own home and many would prefer that they or their loved ones be cared for at home if necessary.  Most Utah registered voters age 45 and older have experiences as family caregivers, or believe they are likely to be caregivers in the future. Utah registered voters age 45 and older say they have provided care—either currently (22%) or in the past (32%)—on an unpaid basis for an adult loved one who is ill, frail, elderly or who has a disability.  Of those who have never provided care more than half (57%) say it is at least somewhat likely they will do so in the future.

Key findings include:

• Most Utah registered voters age 45 and older have experiences as family caregivers, or believe they are likely to be caregivers in the future.
• Both current and former caregivers have provided care in a myriad of ways, with seventy percent assisting with more complex care like medication management (65%), and other medical tasks (63%).
• Most Utah registered voters age 45 and older (79%) believe that being cared for at home with caregiver assistance is the ideal situation when the basic tasks of life become more difficult due to aging or illness.
• More than eight in ten have helped loved ones in their care with household management activities like shopping (88%), chores (86%), transportation (85%), and preparing meals (81%).
  

AARP Utah commissioned a telephone survey of 800 registered voters age 45 and older to learn about their experiences with family caregiving. This report highlights results from registered voters interviewed between February 24 and March 10, 2015. The data was weighted to reflect registered voters in Utah age 45 and older. For more information contact Cassandra Burton at CCantave@aarp.org.