Resources for NC Family Caregivers

RALEIGH — There are over 40 million Americans who are family caregivers, many who make personal sacrifices when it comes to providing care by taking time off from work, covering expenses, and enduring the tremendous personal stress that comes with caring for someone.

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, 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.

Family caregivers are stressed and often overwhelmed balancing the physical, emotional, financial and time-consuming demands required to care for their older loved one.

• 58% spend over 11 hours a week providing unpaid labor to an older loved one, and
  40% spend over 20 hours a week doing so.
  
• They spend $7,000+ a year out of their own pockets on care-related costs.
  
• 42% – and 50% of female caregivers – had to leave the workforce or reduce their hours at work due to their caregiving responsibilities.

This program explores what resources are currently available to help you with this labor of love, as well as look at some commonsense solutions that many state legislatures and the federal government are considering to help support family caregivers.

AARP is joined by Representative Timothy Reeder, Heather Burkhardt, Associate State Director and Ed Bonilla, Director of Mission Advancement for United Way North Carolina.

WATCH THE PROGRAM BY CLICKING HERE