R.I. family caregivers provided $2.1B in unpaid care in 2021, AARP finds

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island family caregivers provided $2.1 billion in unpaid care to loved ones in 2021, according to AARP’s latest report.

The report, part of the nonprofit’s Valuing the Invaluable series, highlighted “growing scope and complexity of family caregiving” and the actions that must be taken to address the challenges faced by family caregivers. Using state data, it found that 121,000 Rhode Islanders provided 113 million hours of unpaid care to their families in 2021, for an estimated value of $2.1 billion. This is a $300 million increase since the nonprofit’s last report in 2019.

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“Family caregivers play a vital role in Rhode Island’s health care system, whether they care for someone at home, coordinate home health care, or help care for someone who lives in a nursing home,” said Catherine Taylor, AARP Rhode Island state director. “We want to make sure all family caregivers have the financial, emotional and social support they need because the care they provide is invaluable both to those receiving it and to their community.”

For the whole United States, the nonprofit found that about 38 million family caregivers provided 36 billion hours of care, for a total estimated economic value of approximately $600 billion.

AARP Rhode Island has been advocating for programs to recognize the work of family caregivers. During the 2021 R.I. General Assembly session, it supported enhancing the Temporary Caregiver Insurance Program to increase the number of weeks a worker can take annually to care for a loved one from four to six weeks. This year, it is urging lawmakers to pass bills that would increase the number of weeks that one can take annually to 12 and expand the definition of family in Rhode Island’s existing paid family leave law to include siblings, grandchildren and other care recipients.

Claudia Chiappa is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Chiappa@PBN.com.