Your Life
SOME NEW SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS
State laws help those helping loved ones
Myra Spijer helps her husband, Wayne, in their bedroom.
Myra Spijer helps her husband, Wayne, in their bedroom.
Family caregiver demands in America have surged. The number of adults providing ongoing care rose 45 percent over the past decade, according to the “Caregiving in the US 2025” report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. Some 63 million people—roughly 1 in every 4 adults—are now providing regular care to ailing loved ones.
“It’s physically taxing, it’s emotionally and socially taxing, it’s financially taxing,” says Mary Beth Malamatos, 63, of Tarpon Springs, Florida, a full-time caregiver for her 88-year-old mother. “There are stressors from all directions, and there’s no easy answer.” To ease the burden, some states have enacted or expanded caregiving aid.
FAMILY CAREGIVING LEAVE
VERMONT: Lawmakers broadened the category of family caregivers who qualify for 12 weeks of unpaid family leave to be more inclusive of LGBTQ+ caregivers. “A lot of times, we have laws on the books that just aren’t equitable for today’s world, and so it’s excluding a lot of people,” says Democratic state Rep. Emilie Krasnow, the bill’s lead sponsor.
TENNESSEE: Lawmakers passed a bill giving state employees six weeks of paid leave when a family member needs end-of-life care. “I think all of us would want to be able to have our family members by our side during some of those most challenging moments in life,” says Feroza Freeland, senior policy manager in the Nashville office of A Better Balance, a worker advocacy organization promoting expanded leave policies.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
States are increasing Medicaid allowances for nursing home residents to cover a variety of expenses such as cosmetics, phone bills or a birthday card for a grandchild. Iowa, Ohio and South Carolina are among those that recently raised personal needs allowances. Angela Van Pelt, Iowa’s long-term care ombudsman, says these increases enable residents to afford items that provide comfort and dignity.
CAREGIVER WELL-BEING
MAINE: After a two-year pilot, Maine expanded its respite care program, offering grants to family caregivers for adult day services, home modifications, medical equipment or self-care.
WISCONSIN: The state lifted a $48,000 income cap for its Alzheimer’s caregiver support program, ensuring that “no family in need [is] denied assistance due to arbitrary income rules,” GOP state Rep. Dean Kaufert, who authored the bill, said in a statement. The program provides financial support for services like adult day programs, transportation and meal delivery.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: The state approved a $100,000 funding increase for its respite care program that provides financial relief to caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and related disorders. This is intended to expand the number of people served, says Judith Jones, a policy coordinator for New Futures, a nonprofit based in Concord.
Molly Snow is a writer for AARP covering advocacy issues and state news.
November is National Family Caregivers Month. Visit aarp.org/caregiving for helpful resources.