Family Caregivers in Hawai`i Provide $2.6 Billion in Unpaid Care to Loved Ones

The unpaid care provided by the 154,000 caregivers in Hawai‘i is valued at $2.6 billion, according to new state data available in AARP’s latest report in the Valuing the Invaluable series. This is a $500 million increase in unpaid contributions since the last report was released in 2019. The report highlights the growing scope and complexity of family caregiving and highlights actions needed to address the many challenges of caring for parents, spouses, and other loved ones.

“Family caregivers play a vital role in Hawai‘i’s health care system, whether they care for someone at home, coordinate home health care, or help care for someone who lives in a nursing home,” said AARP Hawai‘i State Director Keali‘i Lopez. “We want to make sure all family caregivers have the financial, emotional and social support they need, because the care they provide is invaluable both to those receiving it and to their community.”

AARP Hawai‘i is fighting and will continue to fight for family caregivers and the loved ones they care for including bills still alive to expand a tax credit for caregivers with adult dependents and support for working caregivers by fully funding the Kupuna Caregiver program.

• AARP Hawai`i is urging lawmakers to bring much needed financial relief to family caregivers who pay for expensive care to help their loved ones live at home. Governor Josh Green’s Affordability Plan, HB 1049, would expanding the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by proposing up to $10,000 of support for working families paying for adult daycare as well as childcare related costs. 
• AARP is also urging the state Legislature to expand home care options by passing HB 1486 to restore funds for the Kupuna Care program. Kupuna Care is a long-standing program that provides an array of home and community-based services such as home/chore services, adult daycare and offers respite to working caregivers so that they can continue to support their loved ones as they age safely in their homes.
  

Both bills have passed the House of Representatives Finance Committee and will make their way over to the Senate for the next step in the legislative process.
Read the full report at aarp.org/valuing for national and state-by-state data on the economic value of unpaid care by family and friends. Resources and information on family caregiving are available at aarp.org/caregiving.