In Colorado, nearly a quarter of all adults provide unpaid care to loved ones, and experts said more caregivers now struggle to balance work and caregiving duties, and many are forced to cut hours or leave their jobs entirely.

Every day, 10,000 baby boomers across the U.S. turn 65, and the demand for people to take care of older adults is expected to rise by 17% over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sara Schueneman, state director of AARP Colorado, said caregiving takes a toll. Among caregivers, 8 in 10 pay an average of $7,200 out of pocket each year, or 25% of their income, to care for loved ones.

"About 51% report moderate to high levels of stress serving as a caregiver," Schueneman reported. "At least 26%, so a quarter of them, are providing at least 40 hours of care per week."

Family caregivers handle everything from grocery shopping and transportation to complex medical tasks, often with little training, financial or emotional support. Nearly seven in 10 caregivers experience clinical symptoms of depression, according to research by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. Caregivers also report chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease at twice the rate of the general population.

President Donald Trump promised a tax credit for caregivers on the campaign trail, but the credit did not make it into the Republicans’ signature tax-and-spending bill. The administration’s mass deportations are also reducing the number of caregivers. Nationally, more than 800,000 immigrants provide long-term care services.

Schueneman argued that what family caregivers say they need most is time, money, and resources.

"At the state level, we would love to see a tax credit for family caregivers," Schueneman pointed out. "Nationally, we are working to pass the tax credit as well, the Credit for Caring Act."

Schueneman added that there are many resources available to caregivers online at AARP.org/Caregiving, including guidebooks to help people create a caregiving plan and navigate legal, financial, transportation, or housing issues that may arise when helping loved ones.

"We also have connections to other caregivers," Schueneman emphasized. "If you need extra support and want to talk to people who are on that same journey, AARP is a great place to make those connections as well."

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