November is National Family Caregivers Month.

This November, Governor Evers has officially proclaimed it National Family Caregivers Month in Wisconsin to recognize the contributions, commitment, and sacrifices made by America’s 63 million family caregivers every single day.

Across Wisconsin, 1,085,000 family caregivers help their older parents, spouses, or other loved ones live independently at home and in their communities—where they want to be. Family caregivers in our state provide $9.2 Billion in unpaid care each year. They are the backbone of our long-term care system, spending countless hours driving to doctor’s appointments, picking up prescriptions, cooking meals, managing medications, and much more.

Most family caregivers don’t get paid for helping their loved ones, but they still spend plenty out of their own pockets—and it’s not cheap. On average, caregivers spend more than $7,200 a year, roughly a quarter of their income. Many end up dipping into savings, taking on debt, or cutting back on essentials like food and medication. And for 55% of Wisconsin caregivers who are also working, many must reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely due to caregiving responsibilities.

But here’s the thing: while family caregivers do so much for their loved ones, they’re too often overlooked by society and lawmakers as they hold up a broken system. That’s why this month, and every month, AARP Wisconsin is shining a spotlight on family caregivers and calling on lawmakers to pass commonsense solutions that will save them money, time, and provide them with more support.

Among the priorities we’re championing:

• Supporting family caregivers – Family caregivers provide essential care for loved ones, allowing older Wisconsinites to stay homes rather than relying on costly nursing home services. A proposed Caregiver Tax Credit has the potential to alleviate some of their burden. The credit would reimburse certain family members up to $500 each for up to 50% of specific expenses they incur each year related to providing care for loved ones.
• Boosting food Security – We want to increase access to fresh, nutritious food for Wisconsin families and ensure a strong, accessible, and effective SNAP program free of barriers.
• Saving for retirement – We are seeking public-private solutions that would enable more WI workers to save for their retirement. We support “Work and Save” plans for workers who do not otherwise have access to a workplace retirement plan. These plans will enable workers to set aside a small amount of their paychecks and build nest-eggs that allow them to live their best possible lives in retirement.
• Helping fraud victims – We support the creation of a Fraud Victim Restitution Fund and the expansion of recipient eligibility. A restitution fund would take money the government receives from fraud enforcement actions and make it available to victims of scams, who have no other means to recoup their lost money.

Please see our Legislative Priorities to learn more about the issues we are championing here in Wisconsin.

AARP Wisconsin Is Here for You
AARP Wisconsin is proud to stand with our family caregivers, offering free tools and resources to help them navigate their role as a caregiver.

• Caregiving Resource Guides: AARP’s Wisconsin’s Family Caregiver Resource Guide help family caregivers access key programs, services, and agencies right in their community.   
• 211 Caregiver Support Program: Now available in 25 states and Puerto Rico, including Wisconsin, AARP and United Way Worldwide’ s program connects family caregivers to essential services for themselves and their loved ones via the 211 helpline.   
• AARP Family Caregivers Discussion Group on Facebook: 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.   

We can’t do this work alone. Your voice is needed to show lawmakers that family caregivers are a powerful constituency. Raise your hand and join the fight at aarp.org/iamacaregiver.