A new report from the AARP concludes there’s an urgent need to support the tens of thousands of New Hampshire residents who serve as caregivers to people close to them.
The report, compiled with the National Alliance for Caregiving, says roughly 24% of adults in New Hampshire — or 281,000 people — are caring for family members or friends, like seniors and children with disabilities, with most not getting paid.
Christina FitzPatrick, director of AARP New Hampshire, said the average age of caregivers in the state is 51. They help with tasks like getting groceries and housework. They can also provide more intensive assistance like bathing, administering injections, and managing medical equipment. She said they often come into the position after a medical emergency.
“While the average age is 51, a third are under age 50,” FitzPatrick said. “So it's important to recognize that people at different points in their lives are going to have different needs.”
FitzPatrick said caregivers often have other work: The report found that 70% of caregivers are employed and 40% work fulltime. They also average around 27 hours per week of care work and may even be managing a household, according to the report. She said that can put a lot of physical and emotional strain on caregivers.
“There's the sadness that comes from watching a loved one suffer, and there's a sense of helplessness that often people are thrust into this kind of situation very quickly and unexpectedly, and all of a sudden they're expected to be caregivers when they've never had training, have never done this before,” FitzPatrick said.
FitzPatrick said caregivers also face a lot of financial strain, spending on average around $7,000 in out-of-pocket expenses.
The most recent state budget allocated more money to New Hampshire’s respite systems that can provide temporary relief for caregivers.
There’s also been additional funding to the Aging and Disability Resource Centers, to help caregivers find services to help them, along with higher wages for healthcare staff.
FitzPatrick said policy makers and the public need to understand that while people want to live in their homes as they age, they need help with medical and everyday tasks. They also need help with transportation and modifying their homes — all things that cost money and benefit from a stronger healthcare workforce.
“We need to provide support to them, and we need to do everything that we can to make it possible for people to age successfully in their homes so that they can stay out of nursing homes if they want to,” FitzPatrick said.
With 1 in 6 New Hampshire workers serving as caregivers, FitzPatrick said employers can help by offering more job flexibility.
The AARP has a Family Caregiver Resource Guide.
