New AARP Poll: Majority of Voters Want More Support for Family Caregivers

68% say it is important for Congress to take action to help seniors live independently in their own homes

Voters across the country want Congress to address family caregiving issues, according to a new AARP poll released this month, conducted by the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research. This is especially true for those age 50 and older: over two-thirds of voters, and 75% of voters 50+, say it is very important for Congress to help seniors live in their own homes. More than half (57%) say the same for supporting unpaid family caregivers.

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An overwhelming majority of voters, 78%, are either a current, past, or future family caregiver. Over 70% of voters across the political spectrum say they would be more likely to support a candidate who backed proposals to support family caregivers, such as a tax credit, paid family leave, and more support and respite services.

Family caregivers in Montana provide an estimated 105 million hours of unpaid care for older parents, spouses, and other loved ones each year. In 2021, care provided by unpaid family caregivers in Montana was valued at $1.76 billion. Approximately 112,000 Montanans are now family caregivers, according to new state data available in AARP’s latest report in the Valuing the Invaluable series [www.aarp.org/valuing]. This is a $350 million increase in unpaid contributions in Montana since the last report was released in 2019.

“Today in Montana, a silent army of family caregivers are the backbone of our state’s care system providing home care for older adults and those with disabilities,” said Tim Summers, AARP Montana State Director. “Family caregivers are everyday heroes who are the first line of defense against older Montanans being forced from their homes and into nursing homes or back into the hospital. It’s important that we take care of our caregivers. It is time for Congress to enact commonsense solutions that support family caregivers and help older Montanans live independently in their homes, where they want to be.” 

The poll also found that:

• Legislative proposals are strongly supported across party lines: 89% of Democrats and 72% of Republicans support expanding services to help seniors live at home instead of a nursing home. Requiring minimum staffing standards in nursing homes so residents receive quality care is supported by 89% of Democrats and 74% of Republicans.
• Black voters, women, Democrats, and Latinos are especially likely to see long-term care and support for caregivers as key issues. Among those groups, 77% of women, 82% of Black voters, 71% of Latinos and 77% of Democrats say expanding services to help seniors live independently in their own homes instead of a nursing home is very or extremely important.
• Most caregivers feel stressed emotionally, stretched thin in both time and money, and overwhelmed; 40% of all family caregivers say they spend over 20 hours a week on caregiving, with almost half (48%) of women caregivers spending over 20 hours a week.
• Anxiety over caregiving is not limited to those currently providing care—more than two-thirds of voters express concerns about whether they will be able to get the care they need as they grow older or live independently.