RI Caregiving: Valuing the Invaluable

Approximately 41 million unpaid family caregivers provided an estimated 34 billion hours of care — worth a staggering $470 billion — to their parents, spouses, partners, and friends in 2017, according to the latest report in AARP’s Valuing the Invaluable series. The report also explores the growing scope and complexity of caregiving, including an aging population, more family caregivers in the paid workforce, and the increasing amount of medical and nursing tasks entering the home.

In Rhode Island, the estimated total value of 114 million unpaid hours of work by the state's 136,000 family caregivers is $1.8 billion.

"Every caregiver, as well as their families, knows the value of their efforts," said AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell. "The aggregate is astounding, making a clear case for supporting this vital commitment made by family and loved ones.

"These numbers inspire our members who spend many hours at the State House as AARP Rhode Island advocacy volunteers," Connell added. "They have helped pass key legislation -- the CARE Act, paid caregiver leave and many other key bills -- that have given caregivers resources and opportunities to make their task less daunting. Caregivers are truly invaluable."

“It’s encouraging to see greater recognition of the emotional, physical and financial struggles that caregivers face,” said Susan Reinhard, senior vice president, AARP Public Policy Institute. “But the demands on family caregivers are not just a family issue and we must continue to push for meaningful support and solutions.”

The total economic value of caregivers is more than:

• all out-of-pocket spending on U.S. health care ($366 billion in 2017).
• total spending from all sources of paid caregiving, otherwise known as Long-Term Services and Supports ($366 billion in 2016).
• the total combined value added to the U.S. economy by the education and arts/entertainment sectors ($460 billion in 2017).

The report offers recommendations to better support family caregivers, including developing a robust and comprehensive national strategy with the needs of an increasingly diverse caregiver population included; providing financial relief and expanding workplace policies; developing caregiver training programs; and expanding state and federal funding for respite programs.
To read the full report and methodology, visit: www.aarp.org/valuing.

Resources and information on family caregiving, including AARP’s Prepare to Care Guides, are available at www.aarp.org/caregiving.

Related: The 2021 AARP Caregiving Out-of-Pocket Costs Study.