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Massachusetts Family Caregivers: The $22 Billion Care Economy You Don’t See

AARP

Published March 26, 2026

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If you help an older parent, spouse, neighbor, or friend with daily tasks, medical needs, or emotional support, you are not alone and your work matters more than ever.

New findings from AARP’s 2026 Valuing the Invaluable report show just how essential family caregivers are to life in Massachusetts. Across the Commonwealth, 1.39 million family caregivers provide an estimated 920 million hours of unpaid care each year. That care is valued at $22 billion annually, or about $24.27 an hour.

Behind those numbers are real people doing real work, often quietly, and often without enough support.

Caregivers Make It Possible to Age With Dignity

Family caregivers help loved ones bathe, eat, manage medications, get to appointments, and recover from illness. They coordinate care, advocate in medical settings, and provide comfort and stability. Many times, they step in when paid care is unavailable, unaffordable, or hard to navigate.

Most importantly, caregivers make it possible for older adults to live with dignity in their own homes and communities, where they want to be, instead of being forced into nursing homes or institutions.

“Family caregivers are the backbone of a broken health care system, yet their work is too often invisible and unsupported,” said Jen Benson, AARP Massachusetts State Director. ““The $22 billion in unpaid care they provide each year shows just how much Massachusetts relies on family caregivers. Supporting them with commonsense solutions like help at home, flexibility at work, and financial relief isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a smart investment in our state’s future”.

The Hidden Costs of Caring

While caregiving is often an act of love, it can come with real challenges. Many caregivers juggle work and family responsibilities while paying out of pocket for supplies, transportation, home modifications, or paid help when they can get it. Others sacrifice income, career opportunities, or their own health to care for someone else.

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As care needs grow more complex and access to affordable paid care remains limited, the demands on family caregivers continue to rise.

How AARP Is Supporting Caregivers

In Massachusetts, AARP is fighting to make caregiving easier, more affordable, and more sustainable for families across the Commonwealth. That work focuses on commonsense solutions that help caregivers care for their loved ones while also protecting their own health and financial security.

AARP Massachusetts is advocating for policies that expand access to help at home, strengthen workplace flexibility, increase availability of respite care, better access to paid leave, and broader recognition of family caregivers within the health care system including allowing spouses to be paid caregivers.

AARP also provides free tools, planning guides, and resources to help caregivers navigate their responsibilities and plan for the future, no matter where they live.

If you are a caregiver, or expect to be one someday, you are not alone. AARP is here to help.

Learn more and explore caregiving resources at aarp.org/caregiving.

AARP also offers free tools and resources to help caregivers plan, solve problems, and find support, whether they are just starting out or deep into their caregiving journey.