Roughly one in six adult Michiganders serves as a family caregiver, often at the cost of their own emotional, financial, and physical well-being, according to an AARP study.
Family caregivers in the state contribute about 1.3 billion hours of care each year.
Despite the effort, said Paula Cunningham, Michigan state director of AARP, most caregivers say it's worth it.
"We hear from caregivers every single day who tell us the same thing: they are doing this out of love, but they are stretched to the limits," she said. "Many are dipping into their savings to pay for care, some are cutting back on work or leaving the workforce entirely. Caregiving is real. It's relentless."
In Michigan, more than 1.5 million residents provide care. If those workers were paid a wage of around $20 an hour, their labor would be valued at more than $27 billion. Nationally, the amount is more than $1 trillion.
Around 57% of family caregivers are women. In a virtual news conference last week, AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan stressed that federal, state and local officials need to provide more services to help family caregivers.
"We are advocating for bold solutions," she said, "including a national paid family and medical leave policy, greater respite services and resources, such as those now offered in several states, and state and federal legislation that can bring overdue financial relief."
Michigan offers several programs to assist caregivers, including financial compensation for family members, respite services and professional guidance. Most assistance is managed through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and is often tied to Medicaid eligibility.
