Content starts here
CLOSE ×

Search

AARP AARP States Delaware Home & Family

Delaware Family Caregivers Provide $1,580 million in Unpaid Care According to AARP Study

Family caregivers in Delaware provided 114 million hours of care—worth an estimated $1,580 million —to their parents, spouses, partners, and other adult loved ones in 2013, according to AARP Public Policy Institute’s new report, Valuing the Invaluable: 2015 Update. The total estimated economic value of uncompensated care provided by the nation’s family caregivers surpassed total Medicaid spending ($449 billion), and nearly equaled the annual sales ($469 billion) of the four largest U.S. tech companies combined (Apple, Hewlett Packard, IBM, and Microsoft) in 2013.

Family caregiving for relatives or close friends with chronic, disabling, or serious health problems so they can remain in their home is nearly universal today. In 2013, about 202,000 family caregivers in Delaware helped another adult loved one carry out daily activities (such as bathing or dressing, preparing meals, administering medications, driving to doctor visits, and paying bills).

“This new report demonstrates that we need to do more to assist the thousands of caregivers in our state,” said AARP State Director Lucretia Young. “So many Delawareans are providing unpaid care to family and friends, and they believe they are all alone.”

She also noted that a range of recommendations for addressing family caregiving in Delaware were delivered to Governor Markell and the General Assembly in May. “AARP co-chaired the State of Delaware’s Family Caregiving Task Force,” she said. “After assessing the needs of these unpaid caregivers, it was decided that various legislative and programmatic recommendations would enhance the quality of life of caregivers and those receiving care.”

The Family Caregiving Task Force was formed in 2014 with the passage of AARP Model Resolution 57. The report, titled Caregiver Support: Blueprint for Delaware, is the result of months of work with communities to assess their caregiving needs.

Family Caregivers in the Future
As Americans live longer and have fewer children, fewer family members will be available for older adults to rely on for everyday help in the future. The ratio of potential family caregivers to the growing number of older people has already begun a steep decline. In 2010, there were 7.2 potential family caregivers for every person age 80 and older. By 2030, that ratio will fall sharply to 4 to 1, and is projected to drop further to 3 to 1 in 2050.

Impact of Caregiving on Jobs, Money, and Health
Family caregivers report that the stress of caregiving affects their physical and emotional health, finances, and their jobs.
• More than half (55%) of family caregivers report being overwhelmed by the amount of care their family member needs.
• Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) family caregivers report a moderate (20%) to high degree (18%) of financial strain as a result of providing care.
• In 2014, the majority (60%) of family caregivers had full- or part-time jobs.

“Valuing the Invaluable: 2015 Update” Methodology
The estimates in this report by AARP’s Public Policy Institute are based on a meta-analysis of 11 U.S.-based surveys of family caregivers conducted between 2009 and 2014. Estimates are based on about 40 million caregivers providing an average of 18 hours of care per week to a parent, spouse/partner, or other adult loved one, at an average value of $12.51 per hour. ‘Caregiver’ is defined as an adult age 18 and older providing care to a parent, spouse, or other adult loved one with their daily activities such as bathing or dress, preparing meals, and/or managing their finances, currently or within the last month.

Caregiving Resources:
AARP Caregiving Resource Center
Caregiving in the US: 2015 Report
Home Alone: Family Caregivers Providing Complex Chronic Care (October 2012)
The ABA/AARP Checklist for Family Caregivers: A Guide to Making It Manageable (2015)
Amy Goyer’s ABA/AARP Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving (2015)
• AARP’s I Heart Caregivers Initiative

About AARP Delaware
Contact information and more from your state office. Learn what we are doing to champion social change and help you live your best life.