Caregiving may be a sleeper issue in November’s midterm elections among older Americans, according to a recent survey by AARP, a nonprofit advocate for people 50 and older.
Most voters 50 and older in six battleground states said they were more likely to back candidates who support unpaid family caregivers, AARP found. The organization surveyed more than 800 people in each state. Support ranged from 68% in Alaska to 75% in Georgia.
Despite the issue’s growing importance, few candidates are focused on caregiving, experts said. Unpaid family caregivers are an overlooked voting bloc, AARP said.
“The care crisis is one of the defining issues of our generation,” said Lystra Sawney, vice president of new organizing at 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. Millions of families caring for aging relatives or loved ones with disabilities are being pushed to the brink by rising costs, she said.
Why Is Caregiving a Growing Issue?
The United States has entered “Peak 65,” a historic surge of more than 4.1 million Americans turning 65 each year through 2027, according to LIMRA, an insurance and financial services trade association. More than 11,200 people turn 65 each day, the group said.
As the population ages, more people need care. Much of that work falls to unpaid family and friends, who may also be raising children — the so-called sandwich generation. Unpaid caregiving labor was valued at about $1 trillion in 2024, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute.
The average age of the sandwich generation has dropped to 34, younger than the 40s or 50s that had been typical, according to a Care.com study. Caregiving is now a concern for workers across age groups, said Emily Rose, president of business solutions at LegalShield, which provides access to a network of law firms.
What Proposals Could Help Family Caregivers?
Several proposals aim to help caregivers, but none has become law. The Catching Up Family Caregivers Act of 2026 and the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2026 would help caregivers continue saving for retirement.
The Medicare at Home Act would create a Medicare Part B benefit covering up to 20 hours per week of caregiving assistance with daily activities. The Multigenerational Home Caregiver Credit Act would provide a tax credit to people who care for an older family member at home.
Can Employers Help Caregivers?
Companies can offer caregiving benefits, including resources and financial assistance, but the issue remains a low priority, a LegalShield survey found.
More than 85% of 1,000 human resources executives said caregiving contributes to absenteeism and hurts productivity; 77% said it affects employee retention. Yet they ranked eldercare 10th among 12 benefit priorities for the next two years, LegalShield said.
Still, just over 8 in 10 HR executives said they were likely to add or expand senior-care advisory benefits in the next 12 to 24 months, the survey found. Employers may offer voluntary benefits that let workers choose support suited to their needs, Rose said.
What Can Caregivers Do?
Advocates say people can take steps to push for more support:
- AARP encourages older adults to vote and lobby Congress to advance caregiver proposals. Since 2002, voters 65 and older have cast ballots at higher rates than younger voters, the organization said.
- Employees can tell their human resources departments they want caregiving benefits and explain why, Rose said.
- Care workers can organize for better wages and benefits. Sawney said nearly 70,000 care workers in New York have joined an organizing drive.
Medora Lee is a money, markets and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. Reporting by Medora Lee, USA TODAY. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
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