Caring For the Caregiver

When you spend time, money and emotional capital providing care, you don’t have to go it alone.

- Jane Bennett Clark

IT’S AN ACT OF LOVE, A LESSON in crisis management, a stress on finances and often a years-long slog. Over a recent 12-month period, more than 43 million adults provided care for a vulnerable family member or friend, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP Public Policy Institute. The contribution to family and society is staggering. A Rand Corp. report puts the annual value of unpaid caregiving just for the elderly at $522 billion—more than the amount it would take to retire the 2015 federal deficit.

Not only do caregivers provide mostly free care, but they also often sacrifice their own financial security in the process. The majority of caregivers are women, and for them, the total cost of caregiving amounts to an average of $324,040, according to a study of caregiving costs by MetLife. That figure reflects $142,690 in forgone wages, $131,350 in lost Social Security benefits and $50,000 in reduced pension benefits. It does not reflect forfeited career opportunities, nor does it include the expenses caregivers cover out of pocket, which can add up to several thousand dollars or more a year.

For all their efforts, most people don’t identify themselves as caregivers, says John Schall, CEO of the Caregiver Action Network, an advocacy group (www.caregiveraction.org). “They think it’s just something you do as family, so they have no way of knowing there are resources for them.” But caregiving doesn’t have to be a solo enterprise. If you’re spending time, money and emotional capital providing care, here’s how to find help.

ENLIST THE FAMILY