AARP Hearing Center
For many years, AARP has fought at the federal and state levels to help America’s 48 million family caregivers save time and money. These unsung heroes are the backbone of our country’s broken long-term care system providing $600 billion in unpaid labor annually. They help their parents, spouses, and other loved ones live as independently as possible, assisting with everything from bathing and dressing, shopping, transportation, medical tasks, finances, home modification, and more.
We have made progress at the federal level with the creation of the multifaceted National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, the Administration’s recent Executive Order, and the relaunch of the bipartisan, bicameral Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus in Congress, which promises to elevate the issue of caregiving on Capitol Hill. Yet, our ongoing work in Washington D.C. is far from the whole story. In states across the country, AARP has achieved important, bipartisan solutions to support family caregivers.
State Advocacy Success
Last year alone, AARP helped enact 159 policies in 44 different states on behalf of family caregivers. And that’s just a one-year snapshot. Every day, we continue to push for a range of solutions to ease the stress, financial cost, and health challenges that often go hand-in-hand with caregiving responsibilities.
In many ways, state lawmakers have stepped ahead of their federal counterparts to lead the quest for commonsense answers. High up on the list of victories for family caregivers, I would highlight:
Paid-leave policies for family caregivers who work. AARP successfully fought to expand paid leave in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Overall, 16 states now have laws that enable paid leave.
Financial relief, including stipends and tax credits. Just last month, Oklahoma passed the nation’s first comprehensive state caregiver tax credit for family caregivers. Arizona, Maine, Utah, and the District of Columbia have also all passed AARP-backed legislation that puts money back in the pockets of hardworking family caregivers.
Support for post-hospital care. Through the CARE Act, which AARP developed, 45 states and territories now require hospitals to include caregivers’ names on the medical record, inform them when loved ones are being discharged, and provide instruction on medical tasks required when a patient comes home.
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