Caregivers Shoulder Rising Costs in Trump’s America

WHO:

Alternet - AARP reported on family caregivers, people who assist relatives with care; Megan O’Reilly is AARP’s vice president of governmental affairs.

Alternet - Meghan Maher was seven weeks postpartum when her mother was diagnosed with cancer; she later cared for her mother and father.

NPR - The AARP study queried 2,538 family caregivers. AARP executive vice president Nancy LeaMond said caregiving costs could spur legislative action.

NPR - About 63 million people provide ongoing help to a family member or friend, roughly one in four adults.

CBS News US - Caregivers spend an average of about $11,500 annually caring for an aging parent, relative, or friend, according to AARP.

WHAT:

Alternet - Caregivers spend an average of $11,508 out of pocket each year, 60% more than five years earlier; those expenses average 31% of their income.

NPR - Caregiving costs increased more than twice the overall inflation rate of 24%; food, housing, and medical expenses are the largest cost categories.

NPR - About half of family caregivers report major financial sacrifices, including working more, reducing savings, or drawing down retirement funds.

NPR - In 2025, 40 hours of in-home care per week cost about $72,792 per year; a shared skilled-nursing-facility room averaged $115,000 annually, according to Genworth.

NPR - More than 800,000 California caregivers earn between $16.90 and $25 an hour for in-home work.

NPR - Six states offer family-caregiver tax credits generally worth $1,000 to $5,000 annually; two other states have more limited programs. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia require most employers to offer paid family and medical leave.

NPR - Proposed federal measures include a $5,000 caregiver tax credit, up to 12 weeks of partly paid leave for some workers, and Social Security protections for full-time caregivers.

WHERE:

NPR - Meghan Maher lives in Florida, where she said chronically ill people commonly hire attorneys to navigate Medicaid eligibility; she estimated legal help costs about $6,000.

NPR - Maher’s parents moved into her household, increasing household expenses; after her father’s medical complications, her family paid about $10,000 a year for child care.

WHEN:

NPR - Maher’s mother died in 2017; her father later suffered major complications following abdominal surgery.

NPR - AARP’s report said an estimated 70% of people turning 65 will need some form of help as they age.

WHY:

Alternet - Caregiving costs and responsibilities can lead people to reduce work hours, leave jobs, or seek additional work; Medicare generally does not cover routine caregiving at home or in a facility.

NPR - Maher quit her cancer-research job because she could not manage work deadlines, her mother’s appointments and care coordination, and her newborn son’s needs.

HOW:

NPR - Maher later became a self-employed professional death doula, controlling her schedule to help clients and care for her father; her income is half what it would have been in her former career.

NPR - Medicaid may cover long-term care, but eligibility paperwork can lead families to hire legal assistance; some eligible people also may receive Veterans Administration caregiving benefits.

(UPDATED October 28, 2026 23:03 UTC)

About 63 million Americans—roughly one in four adults—provide ongoing care to a relative or friend, spending an average of $11,508 out of pocket each year, up 60% in five years and amounting to about 31% of their income. Nearly half make major financial sacrifices, while Meghan Maher left her cancer-research job to care for her parents and newborn, later becoming self-employed at half her former income; Medicare generally does not cover routine caregiving, and families may face steep costs for care and help navigating Medicaid. Some states offer caregiver tax credits or paid leave, and proposed federal measures include a $5,000 tax credit, partly paid leave for some workers, and Social Security protections for full-time caregivers.