Labor Day: Remembering the Unpaid Work of Family Caregivers

Labor Day: Remembering the Unpaid Work of Family Caregivers

Labor Day is traditionally a time to recognize the contributions of workers and the role they play in our families, businesses and communities.

But there is another kind of work that deserves recognition too: the unpaid work performed every day by family caregivers.

Across the country, millions of people are helping parents, spouses, grandparents, siblings and other loved ones with everyday needs, medical appointments, meals, medications, transportation and personal care. Many are doing this while also working, running businesses and managing their own families and responsibilities.

Their work may not come with a paycheck, but it has tremendous value.

The Work That Often Goes Unrecognized

According to the Alzheimer's Association's 2026 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, nearly 13 million Americans provide unpaid care for people living with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia.

In 2025, these caregivers provided an estimated 19.6 billion hours of unpaid care, with an estimated economic value of $446.3 billion. That's an average of nearly 30 hours of care per caregiver per week.

What does that mean in plain English?

It means millions of family members are providing the equivalent of substantial part-time work, often while managing jobs, businesses, households and other responsibilities.

The 30-hour figure is an average, not a requirement or expectation for every caregiver. Some people provide a few hours of assistance each week, while others provide intensive, around-the-clock care.

The important point is that the amount of unpaid caregiving happening across the country is enormous.

When Caregiving and Work Happen at the Same Time

For many family caregivers, caregiving doesn't replace their work. It happens alongside it.

A 2025 report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving found that 63 million Americans are family caregivers. More recent research focused specifically on caregivers of adults age 50 and older found that caregivers spend an average of 26 hours per week providing care.

That can create a difficult balancing act.

A caregiver may have a full-time job and still need to coordinate doctor's appointments, manage medications, prepare meals, arrange transportation or check on a loved one during the day.

For a business owner, the situation can look different but be just as demanding. A business owner may be responsible for employees, customers, finances and daily operations while also caring for an aging parent or another loved one.

Why does this matter?

Because caregiving can affect more than someone's schedule. It can affect income, travel, mental health, physical health, career decisions, social life, your privacy, your marriage, retirement planning, financial security and the ability to continue working.

Dementia Can Add Another Level of Responsibility

Caring for someone with dementia can be particularly demanding because the person's needs may change over time.

The Alzheimer's Association reports that dementia caregivers experience significant emotional, financial and physical challenges. In its 2026 report, 59% of dementia caregivers reported high to very high emotional stress.

Caregiving responsibilities can also increase as a person's ability to manage everyday activities changes.

For me, this is more than information I found in a report. I understand the realities of caregiving firsthand. My sister and I have been caring for our 75-year-old mother, who is living with dementia, for the past few years. It has been a deeply personal and demanding journey, and I've learned that caring for a loved one isn't something you should feel you have to carry alone.

I'm especially grateful for the support of my sister, Tia, who makes the trip from Marina del Rey three days each week to help me care for our mother. Having someone who can step in, share the responsibility and give me some time to rest has made an enormous difference in how I feel.

This experience has also taught me something I believe every caregiver should remember: your well-being matters too. Taking a break doesn't mean you're selfish or care any less. Asking for help doesn't mean you're doing less. Sometimes having the support of family, friends or other people who care about you is what allows you to keep showing up for the person who needs you.

This is one reason planning matters.

A family may begin with helping a loved one with occasional appointments or errands. Over time, that assistance can become much more involved.

Understanding that possibility doesn't mean assuming the worst. It means recognizing that circumstances can change and considering what resources may be needed if they do.

California's Caregivers Are Carrying a Significant Share of This Work

The impact is particularly significant here in California.

The Alzheimer's Association estimates that approximately 1.4 million family caregivers in California provide care for people living with dementia. Together, they provide an estimated 1.9 billion hours of unpaid care, valued at approximately $52.3 billion.

Those numbers put something important into perspective.

When we talk about caring for aging family members, we're not talking about a small number of people dealing with a private family matter.

We're talking about millions of people contributing an enormous amount of time and support to their loved ones and communities.

What Can Families Consider?

There isn't one answer that works for every family. But caregiving can be easier to navigate when families begin having conversations before a crisis occurs.

Consider talking about:

• Who would help if a loved one's needs increased?
• What financial resources might be available?
• What type of care would the family prefer?
• Could someone continue working while providing care?
• What happens if family members live in different cities or states?
• What legal and financial documents should be discussed?
• Would long-term care insurance or other resources be appropriate to consider?

These aren't always easy conversations. But planning ahead can give families more time to understand their choices rather than making every decision during an emergency.

Labor Day Is Also About the Work We Do for the People We Love

Labor Day gives us an opportunity to recognize workers, but perhaps it can also remind us to recognize work that doesn't always receive a paycheck or a formal title.

The daughter helping her mother.

The son caring for his father.

The spouse caring for a partner.

The sibling coordinating care from another state.

The business owner trying to keep a company running while caring for a loved one.

Their work matters.

And for those providing care to someone living with dementia, the work can be physically, emotionally and financially demanding.

This Labor Day, let's remember that work doesn't always happen at a desk, in an office or on a job site.

Sometimes it happens in a kitchen, a doctor's office, a car, a hospital room or at the bedside of someone we love.

Planning for the possibility of needing care yourself is also part of preparing for the future. Long-term care insurance can help provide financial support for qualifying care, while helping protect the assets you've worked hard to build. You can learn more and get a quote or begin with an e-application.

Learn. Plan. Protect.

Learn: Understand the realities and responsibilities that can come with caring for an aging loved one.

Plan: Consider how caregiving could affect your family, finances, work and future.

Protect: Take steps to protect the people and things that matter when the time is right.

At Get Jones Solutions, the goal is simple: Learn, Plan, Protect what matters.