November Is National Family Caregivers Month

November is National Family Caregivers Month, a chance to recognize the contributions, commitment, and sacrifices made by America’s 63 million family caregivers every single day.

Across Florida, 4.45 million family caregivers help their older parents, spouses, or other loved ones live independently at home and in their communities—where they want to be. Family caregivers in our state provide $40 billion in unpaid care each year. They are the backbone of our long-term care system, spending countless hours driving to doctors’ appointments, picking up prescriptions, cooking meals, managing medications, and much more.

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Insights from the AARP Florida Caregiver Report underscore the urgent need to support the millions of Floridians providing unpaid care to loved ones:

•  On average, family caregivers are 51 years old and care for someone 69 years old in Florida. 
• Most family caregivers in Florida care for an adult (98%) — most often a parent  (50%).
• A quarter of caregivers (26%) are sandwich generation caregivers who care for an adult while also caring for a child under 18. 
• 34% of caregivers spend at least 40 hours a week providing care or providing constant care. 
• 34% of caregivers have been providing care for three years or longer. 
• Four in ten caregivers (41%) experience high emotional stress while caregiving.  
• One quarter (24%) feel alone while caregiving. 

Most family caregivers don’t get paid for helping their loved ones, but they still spend plenty out of their own pockets—and it’s not cheap. On average, caregivers spend more than $7,200 per year, which is roughly a quarter of their annual income. Many end up dipping into savings, taking on debt, or cutting back on essentials like food and medication. And for the 59% of Florida caregivers who are also working, many must reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely due to caregiving responsibilities.

But here’s the thing: while family caregivers do so much for their loved ones, they’re too often overlooked by society and lawmakers as they hold up a broken system. That’s why this month, and every month, AARP Florida is shining a spotlight on family caregivers and calling on lawmakers to pass common sense solutions that will save them money, time, and provide them with more support.