PORTLAND — A new report from AARP shows 28% of Mainers provide unpaid care to a loved one, sometimes spending thousands of dollars to help cover medicine and other costs.

That 28% equals 324,000 caregivers, some of whom are raising children and caring for aging parents, said Bridget Quinn, AARP Maine’s advocacy and outreach director.

Quinn said nationally, caregivers spend an average of $7,000 out of pocket each year to pay for things like grab bars, medications, groceries and gas money to help a loved one get to appointments.

“There’s also a significant amount of stress put onto family caregivers,” Quinn said. “A lot talk about experiencing additional stress, whether that’s due to financial hardship or just the time, especially if you’re working.” 

In Maine, 70% of caregivers say they are working while also being a caregiver.

“That just means you are pretty much on 24 hours a day,” she said. “You have your job and then you go home, and you have your caregiving job.”

To help ease the stress and financial strain, AARP is lobbying for changes at the federal and state levels.

Quinn said they hope the federal government will approve a measure to award a $5,000 tax credit for family caregivers to help cover the out-of-pocket costs. 

At the state level, Quinn said the paid family and medical leave program that’s set to launch in May will be one way families can get a reprieve. Under the program, workers can take up to 12 paid weeks off to care for a loved one.

Mainers started paying into the program in January, with benefits scheduled to be available in May 2026, according to the Maine Department of Labor.

Another state-level bill proposes to increase funding to Area Agencies on Aging, which in turn run programs to provide caregiver respite and adult day programming to help give families a break.

The bill, LD 814, was carried over until the next legislative session, which is scheduled to begin in January. As currently proposed, it would direct $9.75 million a year to support aging services. 

For those looking for help right now, Quinn said AARP offers a caregiver resource guide, which can be found on their website. The guide lists health, financial and legal resources, along with contact information about transportation and housing.

“It covers the entire state, it is Maine specific,” she said. “That is something very nice for family caregivers especially if you just need a place to get started and understand what is out there.”