National Caregiving Month: New Data on Alaska Caregivers

New AARP caregiving data, Caregiving in the U.S. 2025: Caring Across States, estimates that one in five of adults in Alaska — approximately 125,000 people — are family caregivers, providing largely unpaid and unsupported care to older parents, spouses, and other loved ones. The data can be found here.

“Alaskans care for one another. When a loved one needs help, family members, friends, and neighbors step up,” said Katie Severin, spokesperson for AARP Alaska. “But too often, caregiving means risking big impacts to finances, health and employments. With this new data and ahead of the legislative session, AARP Alaska urges policymakers at every level to act now to help family caregivers get the support they need.”

Family caregivers in Alaska provide an estimated 88 million hours of care for older parents, spouses, and other loved ones each year. In 2021, care provided by unpaid family caregivers in Alaska was valued at $1.7 billion (data here). Caregiving responsibilities range from bathing and meal prep to managing medications, arranging transportation and handling medical tasks, with little or no training.

But the toll on family caregivers in the Census Bureau’s Pacific Division, including Alaska, is great— financially, physically, and emotionally.

Getty Images/Onoky

• 80% of caregivers pay out of their own pockets to help meet their loved ones’ needs, averaging $7,200 each year, or 25% of their income.
• 49% of family caregivers report financial setbacks— taking on debt, draining savings, or struggling to afford basics like food and medicine.
• 60% of our state’s caregivers are also juggling full- or part-time jobs. Many must reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely due to caregiving responsibilities, jeopardizing their own long-term financial security.

In the most recent legislative session, AARP Alaska, the Alaska Commission on Aging, and the AGENet senior services provider network secured a $2.5 million increase for senior community-based grants in the final passed budget. This funding stabilized senior centers, ensuring continued operations, including essential meals and services that help older adults maintain independence at home and reducing the burden on unpaid family caregivers.

AARP Alaska will continue to fight for commonsense solutions to save caregivers money and time and provide greater support:

· HB 173 Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, sponsored by Rep. Jimmie, authorizes Alaska to join the 32-state Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact to reduce provider licensing barriers and improve access to care. Occupational therapy is a critical support for people of all ages requiring assistance with activities of daily living. Occupational therapists can assess individual needs and provide therapy to help patients improve, relearn, or maintain their ability to perform daily tasks, which family caregivers frequently help with or are responsible for.

· SB103 CNA Training sponsored by Sen. Gray-Jackson increases the dementia care training requirement for certified nursing assistants, better equipping them to support family caregivers dealing with dementia or related disorders.

· SB190 Uniform Act: Guardianship/Conservatorship, sponsored by Sen. Kiehl, brings Alaska's guardianship and conservatorship laws in line with the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act. This modernization enhances transparency and notice, refines court disclosures and reporting, and clearly defines the roles of family members, guardians ad litem, attorneys, and court visitors. Most significantly, SB190 adds a new “Other Protective Arrangements” section that empowers courts to craft orders that meet the specific needs of the respondent when considering a guardianship or conservatorship petition. This legislation will foster a legal framework that better supports family caregivers and the friends or family members they care for.

And at the federal level, AARP is working to save caregivers money through the Credit for Caring Act, a proposed federal tax credit of up to $5,000 for working caregivers, and the Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act, which would expand flexible spending and health savings account uses.

This National Family Caregivers Month, AARP Alaska encourages everyone to show support for caregivers and to join the growing movement of Americans raising their voices for change. Join AARP’s I Am A Caregiver movement and tell lawmakers it’s time to support those who care.

To access free caregiver tools and local resource guides, visit:

• AARP’s state-by-state Family Caregiver Resource Guides to help family caregivers access key programs, services, and agencies right in their community.
• AARP’s online Caregiving Hub with tools and information available in English and Spanish.
• AARP and United Way Worldwide’ s 211 program connects family caregivers to essential local services for themselves and their loved ones via the 211 helpline.
• AARP’s official caregiving Facebook group serves as a place for family caregivers nationwide to connect, share practical tips, offer support, and discuss their shared experiences.

*Due to limited data collection in Alaska, the prevalence estimate was modeled using Hierarchical Logit Modeling and detailed information about Alaska’s caregivers cannot be presented. The Census Bureau’s designation of the Pacific Division includes Alaska, California, Hawai’i, Oregon, and Washington. For full methodology, see Methodology Appendix here.