Caring for a Loved One? View Recordings From Our Caregiving Series

We know family caregivers’ responsibilities can be challenging. There are times it may seem overwhelming. There are a lot of us. There are 780,000 family caregivers here in Massachusetts. We’re helping their loved ones live independently at home – where they want to be. Massachusetts family caregivers provide 73 million hours of care every year, adding up to $15 billion in unpaid labor annually. AARP knows family caregivers are stressed. We need commonsense solutions that will save them time and money and provide them with more support.

That’s why AARP Massachusetts offered an online series to empower caregivers with knowledge, resources, and strategies to navigate your caregiving journey effectively.

Every day, family caregivers assist their older parents, spouses, siblings, grandparents and other loved ones so they can live independently in their homes—where they want to be. They help with everything including medications and medical care, meals, bathing and dressing, chores, finances, grocery shopping, transportation and much more. Some family caregivers help a few hours a month while others are on call 24/7. Many family caregivers work full or part time, and some are also caring for children.

Making Cents of Caregiving
In this session, we introduce essential information caregivers need to manage the costs and complexities of caregiving - information on creating a health care plan, choosing a power of attorney and budgeting for housing and transportation costs, for example. We review AARP’s Financial Workbook for Family Caregivers  and explore how to incorporate the tips into your caregiving. 

Six Pillars of Brain Health
Find out what your lifestyle would look like if you filled it with brain-healthy behaviors. A lifestyle that supports brain health can make a big difference to your well-being throughout your life, and it’s within your power to make the daily choices that can get you there. AARP invites you to take a step along that path by learning about “six pillars” that support brain health. These lifestyle habits include cultivating social connections, managing stress, getting high-quality sleep and moving around more, for example

Family and friends are the backbones of America's care system, providing the bulk of care for older people in the U.S. as they strive to live independently. If you are not currently a family caregiver, at some point in your life you either will be a caregiver or need a caregiver.

AARP Caregiving Resource Center at www.aarp.org/caregiving

For Massachusetts specific caregiving resources check out www.aarp.org/cargivingma

To help advocate for caregivers, send us an an email ma@aarp.org