AARP Reports New York Caregivers Face Heavy Costs

A new AARP New York report details the out-of-pocket financial strain on family caregivers across the state during National Family Caregivers Month.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Eldercare

Flat gouache-painted editorial illustration of a worn wooden chair pulled from a plain round kitchen table in soft morning light, in warm earthy tones. — AARP New York reports that family caregivers across the state spend nearly $16,000 a year out of pocket and urged lawmakers to expand caregiver support funding. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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AARP New York issued a report on the financial strain faced by family caregivers in New York and called on state lawmakers to increase funding for caregiver support services. The report finds family caregivers spend nearly $16,000 out of pocket annually caring for loved ones.

Why it matters

With 3.9 million New Yorkers serving as unpaid family caregivers, the cost burden affects a large share of households across the state. The findings add pressure on lawmakers to weigh new funding for caregiver support programs.

The figure of nearly $16,000 per year is an AARP New York estimate of average out-of-pocket caregiving spending across an estimated 3.9 million unpaid family caregivers in the state. The report does not detail the survey method or specify how the requested state funding would be distributed.

The players

AARP New York

AARP New York is the state chapter of AARP, the nonprofit advocacy organization for adults over 50, which works on policy and consumer issues affecting older residents and their families.

Karen Nichols

Karen Nichols is the CEO of the Center for Elder Law and Justice, a nonprofit that provides legal services and advocacy for older adults and people with disabilities in New York.

Rachel Salvaggio

Rachel Salvaggio is a licensed clinical social worker at the UBMD Neurology, Alzheimer's Disease, and Memory Disorders Center, which is affiliated with the University at Buffalo's medical practice.

The details

AARP New York's report centers on the financial burden placed on people who provide unpaid care to relatives, including spending on care needs that falls to the family rather than to public programs. AARP is calling on New York lawmakers to expand funding for caregiver support services and is promoting free digital planning tools and resources for families.

November 2026: National Family Caregivers Month is observed, and the AARP report is highlighted during the month.
November 12, 2026: Coverage of the AARP New York report is published.

Caregiving Landscape

AARP's Caregiving Resource Center has tracked family caregiving costs state by state, and this New York report extends that effort to the state's 3.9 million unpaid caregivers. It places New York's caregiver burden within a broader national pattern of families absorbing care costs that public programs do not fully cover.

New York families providing unpaid care should budget for costs that can approach $16,000 a year, and AARP's free digital planning tools can help organize care and financial records. Caregivers can also check with state agencies about support services as lawmakers consider expanded funding.

The takeaway

Caregivers who track their out-of-pocket spending early can plan more realistically for long-term care costs. Free planning resources offered by AARP can help families organize decisions before a crisis arises.