Press Releases

Value of Family Caregiving Soars to $306 Billion
Market Value of "Free" Services Jumps 19% in 4 Years

November 9, 2006 – Morris Plains, NJ – The value of "free" services provided by family caregivers to their chronically ill, disabled or aged loved ones jumped to $306 billion--a 19% increase in the past four years – according to research by Peter S. Arno, PhD, a health economist at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.

The state-by-state analysis of the number of family caregivers, hours of caregiving services and their estimated market value was released today by Family Caregiver Alliance and National Family Caregivers Association.

The largest caregiving states, according to the new analysis, are California, with an annual market value of over $36 billion, followed by Texas at $22 billion; New York at $20 billion; Florida at $19 billion; and Pennsylvania at $13 billion.

"Families are the mainstay of our long-term care system, with nearly 80 percent of long-term care provided in the home, not in institutions," said Kathleen Kelly, Executive Director of Family Caregiver Alliance.

"That care includes everything from cooking meals to changing feeding tubes, from dispensing medications to managing incontinence.  Were families to cease providing this care, the enormous burden placed on our healthcare system would be crippling.  We need to respect and honor not only the staggering dollar value of the care these families provide, but also their dedication to the challenging and sometimes exhausting job of caring for their loved ones."

Family caregivers provide a vast array of emotional, financial, nursing, social, homemaking and other services on a daily or intermittent basis.  While some family caregivers provide 24/7 care for loved ones who require assistance for all daily living activities, others may provide care on a part-time basis.  Family caregiving can extend for a few years or a lifetime.

"This state-by-state ranking of the value of family caregiving is critical information for policy makers, state service providers, and healthcare leaders.  The numbers reinforce the need to develop programs and policies at all levels to educate and support family caregivers who are providing the bulk of long-term care services," said Suzanne Mintz, president and co-founder of the National Family Caregivers Association.  "These statistics are a powerful reminder of just how hard family caregivers are working and they raise serious questions for the future as the aging of the Baby Boom peaks."

United Way of Morris County's Caregivers Coalition continues its work on behalf of the County's 50,000 family caregivers, through advocacy, increased support, and improved information about services and resources.

About United Way of Morris County
United Way of Morris County is dedicated to helping people and improving the quality of life for all residents. We address issues most critical to the future of Morris County by bringing attention, expertise, and resources to them. For more information, visit us on the web at www.uwmorris.org, or call 973.993.1160.

Contact
Jean Funk
Marketing Communications
United Way of Morris County
973.993.1160, x114
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