AARP report highlights scale and value of unpaid caregiving in Rhode Island

“Nationally there are 59 million Americans who are providing care for a loved one and that is 49.5 billion hours of care annually. It’s valued at a trillion dollars,” said Catherine Taylor, the director of AARP Rhode Island; AARP, the nation’s largest non- profit, dedicated to empowering people 50 and older.

In Rhode Island, the report shows 155,000 people serve as caregivers, providing 111 million hours of care.

Barbara Morse reports on unpaid caregivers. (WJAR)

“The total impact is $2.8 billion a year,” said Taylor.

It’s not just babysitting a loved one.

“People are doing a lot more nursing tasks, you know–wound care, injections and things like that and they’re doing a lot more intensive daily care, like bathing, and dressing and feeding than we used to,” she said.

Its latest report–“Valuing the Invaluable.”

“The whole point of this report is to draw attention to how many family care givers there are and what the magnitude of what the need is for their support,” said Taylor.

That includes financial support and respite care.

AARP wants you to know this:

An older man using equipment in a gym. (FILE)

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In Rhode Island, temporary caregiver insurance or TCI is available to folks who qualify, for up to eight weeks.

There are federal tax credits you may qualify for. There is help.

“All you have to do is call 211 and say you’re a family caregiver and they will connect you to all of AARP’S trusted information, including a Rhode Island specific guide on resources for caregivers,” she said.