Kane In Your Corner: Caregiver crisis puts pressure on families across the tristate
A new Kane In Your Corner report shows one in four adults now serves as a caregiver.
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More adults in the tristate are providing ongoing care for loved ones, underscoring a growing caregiver crisis identified in a new report.
A new Kane In Your Corner report shows one in four adults now serves as a caregiver. Many balance that role with full time work while spending significant hours helping family members.
Elizabeth Marquez is among those caregivers. She says her mother, a retired schoolteacher, was once fully independent but now needs help with daily activities as she approaches 90.
Marquez says her mother does not want anyone living with her. She says she can only guide her mother's choices.
Much of Marquez's time is devoted to caregiving. She previously did so when her brother had two brain aneurysms and a stroke. He lived in Georgia.
She says the travel was difficult and disruptive to her job. She says caring for her brother was not optional.
The AARP report finds nearly 7 million people in the tristate care for a loved one, representing about 26% of adults. Caregivers spend an average of 27 hours a week providing care.
Chris Widelo of AARP says caregiving covers a wide range of tasks. He says that can include transportation, help with daily living, and companionship.
Some relatives can now be paid through Medicaid for caregiving. AARP says the support often falls short.
Widelo says many caregivers face financial strain after leaving the workforce. He says the average caregiver pays about $7,000 or more each year out of pocket.
AARP is lobbying for additional assistance, including a caregiver tax credit. The group says the goal is to better support caregivers and the people they help.
Marquez says the responsibility carries emotional weight. She says making a mistake for someone else can feel devastating.
AARP says resources are available for people currently caring for a loved one.
https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/caregivers.html
https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/resources/resources-and-information
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/caregiving
