By Jennifer Benson, AARP Massachusetts State Director
November is National Family Caregivers month. More than 48 million family caregivers—1 in 5 voters—help older parents, spouses, grandparents and other loved ones to live independently in their own homes and communities instead of being forced into costly nursing homes. Here in Massachusetts 780,000 of us are caregivers.
Our nation’s dedicated family caregivers together provide $600 billion worth of unpaid labor each year. They help with everything from bathing and dressing to medical tasks, transportation, grocery shopping and preparing meals. And many of the people who do all this unpaid work are also juggling taking care of other family members and maintaining jobs outside the home. Many are forced to reduce their hours or quit the workforce entirely. The physical, emotional and financial toll of family caregiving is enormous. Family caregivers are stressed and often overwhelmed.
AARP is here to support caregivers. AARP.org has a caregiving section. There, you’ll quickly find you’re not alone. There are plenty of online resources and guidance to help. We cover essential topics such as home safety, financial and legal advice, and managing medical care. The site also provides specialized guidance for caring for loved ones with specific conditions like dementia, diabetes, and heart disease. You’ll also learn the importance of self-care for caregivers and find tips on coping with stress and finding support groups.
We also have caregiving guides specific to Massachusetts. The AARP Family Caregiving Guides are designed to help develop and implement a caregiving plan for a loved one or friend. The guides include:
- Information on how to have vital conversations
- Ways to assess your loved one’s needs
- Tips for organizing important documents
- A roundup of federal and national resources
- Information on caring for yourself
- Checklists, medication charts and contact lists
You can find that at aarp.org/caregivingresources.
Sometimes, it’s easier to just ask. That’s why AARP has a dedicated, toll-free family caregiving line for people taking care of a loved one. Agents are available to take calls Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 1-877-333-5885. Our agents can’t provide specific advice to callers, but they can suggest resources on a variety of topics. You don’t have to be an AARP member to call the support line.
During November, we also have an online caregiving series. Every Tuesday, we’ll take up a different aspect of caregiving. We’ll delve into the financial aspects one week, and another we’ll look at the small tweaks you can make to your home so you can stay there as long as you’d like. We’re also collaborating with the Alzheimer’s Association to provide insights on caregiving for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. These webinars are your chance to ask questions. You can find dates and times for the webinars at aarp.org/caregivingma.
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.
