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Report Values Unpaid Family Caregiving at over $1 Trillion – Herb Weiss
By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues
AARP’s latest report reveals a staggering surge in the economic value of unpaid family caregiving, now exceeding $1 trillion. Since 2006, AARP’s Public Policy Institute has tracked this value through its Valuing the Invaluable reports. Last week, at a virtual media briefing, the organization released its seventh report, Valuing the Invaluable 2026: Family Caregivers’ Contribution Reaches $1 Trillion
The report delivers a strong message: in 2024, family caregivers provided nearly 50 billion hours of mostly uncompensated care—valued at a whopping $1.01 trillion. Sixteen years earlier, the estimated the value of uncompensated care was just $350 billion.
Building on the previous data, the 9-page report, released on March 26, 2026 emphasizes throughout that caregiving impacts not just families, but also the economy, labor market, and healthcare system.
It estimates that 59 million caregivers contributed a total of 49.5 billion hours of care each year, valued at $20.41 per hour. Using the Caregiving in the US 2025 data set (which uses new statistical methods that incorporate the range of tasks and support that family caregivers provide), this amounts to about $1.01 trillion annually. For comparison, family caregivers’ economic contribution surpasses the combined federal, state, and local Medicare spending in 2024 ($931.7 billion) and nearly doubles out-of-pocket health care spending ($556.6 billion).
To further accentuate the magnitude, the report calculates that the nearly 49.5 billion hours of uncompensated care provided annually equal the labor of about 24 million full-time workers—that’s 17% of the nation’s full-time workforce.
According to the AARP report, American adults spend as much time on caregiving duties as on everyday activities, such as housecleaning and preparing meals, and almost twice as much time as they spend on religious activities and volunteering combined.
This unpaid care—delivered by caregivers to older adults, neighbors, and friends—enables millions to remain independent in their homes and communities. The report warns that, without this assistance, millions of Americans would be forced to rely on assisted living or costly nursing facility care, resulting in significantly higher costs for public programs such as Medicaid. However, it also recognizes that this support comes at a steep personal cost to caregivers, often undermining their health, emotional state, financial security, and general well-being.
Beyond national implications, the report also provides state-by-state estimates of the number of caregivers, total hours provided, economic value, and the average hourly value of care.
These state figures, for example, show that the estimated value of caregiving ranges from $14.12 per hour in Louisiana to $27.05 per hour in Washington, reflecting regional differences. In Rhode Island, approximately 155,000 family caregivers provide 111 million hours of unpaid care, valued at $2.8 billion, or about $25.07 per hour.
Continuing this deeper look, the report finds that family caregivers now provide more care than ever, averaging 27 hours per week. More than half—57%—deliver high-intensity care: tasks such as bathing, dressing, wound care, and administering injections.
Presser Announces New Caregiver Report’s Release
To explore the report’s findings in greater depth, AARP convened a 40-minute panel moderated by Ilse Zuniga, Director of External Relations. This discussion brought together Dr. Myesha Minter-Jordan (AARP CEO), Nancy LeaMond (Executive Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer), Paula Cunningham (AARP Michigan State Director), Rita B. Choula (Senior Director at AARP’s Public Policy Institute and lead author), and Megan O’Reilly (Government Affairs Department).
During the panel, Dr. Minter-Jordan, addressed the 30 journalists present, stating that family caregivers are underwriting a service that millions depend on daily. She emphasized that, with family caregiving now exceeding $1 trillion annually, employers, healthcare providers, and policymakers must do more to recognize and support caregivers as they fill essential gaps in the healthcare system.
Dr. Jordan said caregiver stories are powerful and often painful, stressing that AARP is working to magnify these voices and advocate for concrete policies that recognize caregivers’ economic contributions.
“Given that most Americans will either be a caregiver or need one at some point in their lives, we need to do better,” Dr. Jordan told the journalists.
“AARP is supporting bold solutions to assist America’s caregivers, says Dr. Jordan. “These include a national paid family and medical leave policy, as well as greater respite services and resources, such as those offered in states through partnerships with United Way and AARP’s 211 Caregiver Support Hotline.”
She concluded that the released report should be a wake-up call and an opportunity for action, hoping that it will drive real, long-lasting change.
Nancy LeaMond noted, “Caregiving is not simply a family issue; it’s a labor force, economic, and healthcare issue that compels action. Behind every data point is a person—a daughter, husband, grandchild, or neighbor.” According to LeaMond, AARP has been working relentlessly to raise caregiving as a national priority and to push for common-sense, bipartisan solutions that can save caregivers time and money. LeaMond added that the organization has worked to raise the visibility of caregiving, making it a national priority at both the state and federal levels. She noted, “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,” with Nebraska following the next year. Additionally, she stated that 12 other states have considered enacting statewide caregiver tax credit legislation during the 2026 legislative session.
LeaMond further reported that on Capitol Hill, AARP has been advancing legislation such as the Credit for Caring Act, which offers a $5,000 federal tax credit to offset caregiving expenses, and the Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act which allows family caregivers to use Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Savings Accounts for care expenses for parents.
Paula Cunningham added a personal dimension, relating stories to illustrate the intense, unceasing nature of caregiving. She narrated stories of caregivers forced to draw from their savings or reduce work commitments, such as Deb Conja, an attorney from Okemos, Michigan, who left her job to care for her mother. She also shared the experience of a Detroit military veteran who, after two tours of service, described caregiving for her mother as the hardest job she’s ever had—an indication of the intensity of these responsibilities.
“Navigating through who to call and when to call, and what kind of services are available is another layer of stress that we’re trying to help reduce,” says Cunningham. She noted that AARP Michigan is calling for funding for a Caregiving Resource Center to provide one-stop online shopping and connect 1.6 million Michigan caregivers across the state with the support services they need. They are also pushing to expand access to funding for home- and community-based services that are necessary for caregivers to stay in the workplace, says Cunningham.
Finally, during the Q&A, Megan O’Reilly responded to Politico journalist Robert King about whether a federal crackdown on fraud in personal care services could undermine governmental efforts to support family caregivers. “Fraud is a crime, and those who commit fraud should be held accountable. But we have to make sure that we’re protecting the care and the need for the essential care and services that our communities and loved ones need to remain at home…,” she said.
Urgent policy action must be taken by Congress and state legislatures to provide the concrete financial support needed to deliver real financial relief and structural support for America’s caregivers through measures such as tax credits and paid family leave. It is the right thing to do!
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To read more articles by Herb Weiss, go to: https://2×8.ea2.myftpupload.com/herb-weiss/
Herb Weiss, LRI, 12, is a Pawtucket-based writer who has covered aging, healthcare, and medical issues for more than 45 years. To purchase his books, Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly and its two sequels, visit herbweiss.com.
