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Economic Value of Family Caregiving in Oklahoma Reaches $12.2 Billion Annually, New AARP Report Shows

The report finds that 770,000 family caregivers of adults contribute 680 million hours of care annually, work that would be valued at $12.2 billion per year if paid in the marketplace.

AARP

Published April 02, 2026

Young adult son and Elderly father sitting in the kitchen room take a breakfast, Son caring his father family relationship domestic life

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Oklahoma’s family caregivers now provide $12.2 billion worth of labor each year, according to a new AARP report. Most of this work is unpaid, yet it forms the backbone of the nation’s long-term care system that is essential to helping millions of older adults live independently at home.

Why this matters: Without family caregivers, many more Oklahomans would rely on expensive institutional care, driving significantly higher costs for taxpayers and public programs.

“Family caregivers are a major economic force that fill critical gaps in our health care system,” said AARP Oklahoma State Director Sean Voskuhl. “The economic value they provide now exceeds $12.2 billion annually, yet this care often comes at significant cost to caregivers’ health and financial security, and well-being. AARP is elevating this important issue and fighting to save family caregivers time and money.”

Key findings from the report – Valuing the Invaluable 2026 – include:

770, 000 Oklahomans are caregivers of adults, providing care for older parents, spouses, neighbors, and other loved ones, contributing 680 million hours of care annually, work that would be valued at $12.2 billion per year if paid in the marketplace, based on a value of $17.98 per hour.
Across states, the estimated value of caregiving ranges from $14.12 per hour in Louisiana to $27.05 per hour in Washington, reflecting regional differences in wages and the cost of care.

National Findings:

59 million Americans are caregivers of adults, providing care for older parents, spouses, neighbors, and other loved ones, contributing 49.5 billion hours of care annually, work that would be valued at $1.01 trillion per year if paid in the marketplace, based on a value of $20.41 per hour.
The 49.5 billion hours of care provided each year is the equivalent of nearly 24 million full-time workers, roughly 17% of the entire U.S. full-time workforce.
The value of family caregiving exceeds total federal, state, and local Medicaid spending nationwide, and almost doubles all out-of-pocket health care spending.

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Caregiving has become more demanding and complex as chronic illnesses rise and more care shifts into homes:

Family caregivers are spending more time providing care, averaging 27 hours each week.
More than half, 57%, now provide high-intensity care meaning; they spend more hours helping with daily tasks like bathing and dressing as well as complex medical and nursing tasks like wound care and administering injections.

Read the full report here.

Thanks to AARP’s advocacy, Oklahoma became the first state in 2023 to pass a comprehensive state-wide caregiver tax credit to put money back in the pockets of family caregivers. AARP Oklahoma advocates for expanding the Caring for Caregivers tax credit. House Bill 4118, filed by Rep. Tammy West (R–Oklahoma City), would remove the current age minimum of 62 for eligible family members and add mileage for medical appointments as a qualifying caregiver expense and ensure all eligible caregivers can access the same maximum credit of $3,000.

AARP also helps families navigate caregiving challenges by connecting them to trusted resources. AARP Oklahoma’s resource guide helps family caregivers access key programs, services and agencies right in their community. To find out more, visit www.aarp.org/caregiving.