Pennsylvania Supports Family Caregiver's Month Proclamation in Pennsylvania

STATEMENT FROM BILL JOHNSTON-WALSH - AARP PENNSYLVANIA STATE DIRECTOR IN SUPPORT OF FAMILY CAREGIVERS' MONTH PROCLAMATION IN PENNSYLVANIA

Harrisburg, PA - On behalf of AARP’s 1.8 million members aged 50-plus in Pennsylvania, I want to thank Governor Shapiro for proclaiming November as Family Caregivers Month in Pennsylvania.

More than 48 million Americans, including nearly 1.5 million Pennsylvanians, are family caregivers, helping their older parents, spouses and other loved ones live independently – managing medications, preparing meals, helping with bathing and dressing, and so much more.

These individuals hold up a broken long-term care system. The physical, financial and emotional toll on them is great. Many family caregivers work full or part-time at paying jobs, and many reduce their hours or quit their jobs entirely to make sure their loved one gets the care they need.

Pennsylvania’s dedicated family caregivers provide 1.39 billion hours of care every year, adding up to $22 billion in unpaid labor annually.

Family caregivers deserve our gratitude, but simply saying thank you is not enough. Here in the Commonwealth and across the country, AARP is fighting for commonsense solutions to save caregivers time and money and provide more support.

AARP Pennsylvania applauds Governor Shapiro for shining a bright light on these everyday heroes this November. We encourage all Pennsylvanians to reach out to all the family caregivers in their lives this month to offer support and thank them for the incredibly important work they do.

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AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.