Caregivers battle stress, fiscal strain, survey finds

More than half of Hawaii’s residents 45 and over have been an unpaid caregiver for a senior or disabled loved one, a new AARP survey shows.

They help with daily living activities such as shopping, transportation, preparing meals and household chores, as well as manage medication and nursing and medical duties.

The average age of local caregivers is 62 and the majority are married women working either full- or part-time, according to the survey.

Many of them have had to use their own money to provide care or make changes to their home for loved ones and more than a quarter say they have felt financially strained because of their caregiving responsibilities, the report said.

Not surprisingly, more than half — 51 percent — of working caregivers report feeling stressed in balancing their job and family.

"As our population ages, it’s important for state policymakers and the general public to understand the critical role that family caregivers play in Hawaii’s home health care system," AARP Hawaii State Director Barbara Kim Stanton said in a press release. "Being a family caregiver is a life-changing experience, and many residents juggle their responsibilities at home while working full or part time and raising families of their own. Caregivers desperately need services, training and other resources that will support their ability to help older loved ones stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible."

AARP is urging lawmakers to increase funding for programs and services that help caregivers and seniors, such as ensuring workers cannot be fired for taking time off for caregiving and requiring that employers provide a limited amount of unpaid leave for caregiving and offer some paid leave for that purpose.

Most respondents also say they’d support proposals that offer short-term help from home health aides so caregivers could get respite from their duties and nearly all — 95 percent — say having community services that would allow family caregivers to take a break is important.

AARP commissioned the telephone poll of 1,000 registered voters age 45 and older. They were interviewed between Aug. 28 and Sept. 9. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

The senior advocacy group is sponsoring a free caregiver conference and resource fair on Oct. 4 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i at 2454 S. Beretania Street. Register at http://aarp.cvent.com/oahucare or call 877-926-8300.