Hoosier caregivers contribute $16.1 billion in unpaid labor, AARP finds

(INDIANA CAPTIAL CHRONICLE) — An AARP report found that the 1.11 million Hoosiers who act as caregivers to parents, spouses and other adult loved ones contribute $16.1 billion in unpaid labor each year.

Family caregivers assist disabled or elderly loved ones with daily tasks like toileting, dressing and preparing meals.

But the AARP report found caregivers are increasingly likely to engage in complex tasks like wound care or administering injections, increasing the hours of unpaid labor they perform.

Collectively, Hoosier caregivers perform an estimated 860 million hours of unpaid labor that would otherwise be valued at $16.1 billion each year if they were compensated at the market rate of $18.68 per hour, the report found.

“Family caregivers are filling a critical gap in our health care system,” Sarah Waddle, AARP Indiana state director, said in a news release. “The care they are providing is often coming at a significant cost to their health, financial security and well-being. This is why AARP is raising awareness of this ...