November is National Caregivers Month, a good
time to remember that caregiving affects us all in
deeply personal ways. In the words of former First
Lady Rosalynn Carter: “There are only four kinds of
people in the world: those who have been caregivers,
those who are currently caregivers, those who will be
caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”
The typical family caregiver is a 49-year-old female
taking care of an older woman, usually her mother, for
a period of nearly five years. She will devote at least
20 hours a week to helping her loved one with tasks
like trips to the doctor, bathing and dressing, meal
preparation, and chores around the house. Along with
being a caregiver, she has a full or part-time job, so
caring for her loved one is done in her “spare time.”
For some family caregivers, their role is more involved
as they care for a loved one 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, often performing complicated
medical tasks like wound care, injections, and medication
management — the kind of assistance once in
the domain of only doctors or nurses.
Bottom line: family caregivers do remarkable things
every day to care for their loved ones, but this labor of
love is not without its challenges. For family caregivers
who provide assistance for more than 21 hours a
week, sacrifice time away from family and friends, or
live with the loved one for whom they are caring, that
stress is increased.
One study by the Center for Secure Retirement
found that nearly 9 in 10 middle-income people in
midlife said family caregiving was harder than they
anticipated, necessitating more emotional strength,
patience, and time than expected.
The vast majority of older Texans want to remain in
their homes as they age, and family caregivers make
that possible. Without this help, too many older Texans
would end up in costly institutions – often paid for
through Medicaid.
With more than 3.35 million unpaid family caregivers
in Texas providing an estimated 3.2 billion hours
of care each year, this silent army is the backbone of
elder care in our state, providing unpaid care valued
at approximately $35 billion annually. The value provided
by these unpaid family caregivers is more than
the entire Texas Medicaid program, federal and state
spending combined. Texas can’t afford for these care givers
to stop providing such valuable assistance.
This is a big job and caregivers could use a little
help. That’s why AARP is working for common sense
solutions like increasing funding for respite care,
which allows family caregivers to take a hard-earned
break and know that their loved one is being cared
for. Providing unpaid family caregivers with respite care
means they can go to a doctor’s appointment, the
grocery store, or just enjoy a few minutes when they
are not on call, a cost-effective way to help them manage
stress and continue to support their loved one.
One way Texas caregivers can access respite care
is through the state’s Aging and Disability Resource
centers. Funds from these centers provide caregivers
with a break, help them develop skills and manage
stress.
During next year’s legislative session, AARP will
fight to increase funding for the Lifespan Respite
Caregiver Program so that more family caregivers
can get the break they need. Funding respite care is
a cost-effective way to support unpaid family caregivers
who provide essential care to their loved ones,
keeping them out of costly institutions.
This November and each day, AARP will continue
to represent the millions of family caregivers across
Texas who pour their hearts into helping their older
loved ones stay at home — where they want to be. A
little bit of assistance goes a long way to help caregivers
keep doing what they do. Funding respite care is
both an act of human compassion and a smart way to
safeguard our state’s finances.
Bob Jackson is the director of AARP Texas.
26.5% of Texans are primary caregiver for a loved
one.
