AARP New York Applauds Mayor Christopher Scanlon for Recognizing Family Caregivers Month

BUFFALO, NY— Today, AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel issued the following statement in response to Mayor Christopher Scanlon for recognizing National Family Caregivers Month.  

“On behalf of AARP’s 2.2 million members age 50-plus in New York, I thank Mayor Scanlon for recognizing National Family Caregivers Month. 

Today, 63 million Americans — including 4 million here in New York — step up as family caregivers, helping older parents, spouses, and other loved ones live independently at home rather than in costly nursing homes. These everyday heroes hold up a broken long-term care system, managing medications, preparing meals, helping with bathing and dressing, and more.

The impact is especially felt across Western New York. Nearly, half of voters age 40 and older in the region have served as family caregivers, according to AARP research. In New York state, family caregivers provide 2.1 billion hours of care each year, worth $39 billion in unpaid labor. 

The toll is heavy: financially, physically, and emotionally. Most family caregivers work full or part-time jobs, and many must reduce their hours or quit their jobs entirely to make sure their loved one gets the care they need. 

AARP New York applauds Mayor Scanlon for shining a light on family caregivers. But more action is needed. That’s why AARP is pushing for commonsense solutions that help them save money and time and provide them with more support.” 

Mayor Christopher Scanlon stated: “Family caregivers are the backbone of our communities. They deserve our gratitude and support for making tremendous sacrifices for the people who need and cherish them the most.”

AARP New York volunteer Leon Mitchell of Buffalo said, “Caregiving requires all you have. You have to be on call for all a person’s many and different needs – medical, activities of daily life, but also emotional and sometimes spiritual. Caregivers gladly put their own needs on hold, but eventually the well begins to run dry. Every caregiver has to learn that balance. Although many of us are caregivers out of love more than responsibility, we still benefit from the acknowledgement of how hard it is. The support of friends, family and the community like the City of Buffalo has just been so good to offer.”

AARP New York Volunteer Bruce Boissonnault said, “I didn’t realize how dependent mom was until dad became incapacitated and subsequently died. After 70 years being married to dad, mom was alone. She was frightened and unable to function. So, at 67, I became caregiver to my 87-year-old mom. There is a sweetness to caregiving, but without a bit of help, we couldn’t have done it.”

At the state level, AARP New York has fought to ensure home- and community-based services administered through the State Office for the Aging that support family caregivers and their aging loved ones such as respite care and transportation services are available to all who seek them. In what is expected to be a challenging budget year coming up for New York State, AARP New York will be working to protect all the progress the state has made in addressing unmet need for these services in recent years, including the record $45 million additional unmet need funding included in the most recent state budget by Governor Hochul and state lawmakers.

At the federal level, AARP is advocating for financial relief for caregivers through the Credit for Caring Act, a proposed federal tax credit of up to $5,000 for working caregivers, and the Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act, which would expand flexible spending and health savings account uses.

###

About AARP 
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.