Veterans’ Caregivers Need More Support, AARP Expert Tells Congress

Most veterans who need care are getting it at home from their loved ones, and Congress should do more to support them, an AARP veterans’ expert told Capitol Hill lawmakers Wednesday.

Speaking before the U.S. House Committee on Veterans Affairs, AARP Kentucky State Director and Operation Desert Storm Army veteran Troy Broussard told lawmakers that family caregivers are “holding up their families and America’s long-term health care system.”

“While it’s a labor of love, it can also be overwhelming, both personally and financially,” he said.

Broussard called on Congress to pass a bipartisan bill that would provide a tax credit for family caregivers to help offset caregiving costs, and urged them to make it easier for military and veteran caregivers to navigate federal agencies like Medicare, Social Security and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on their loved one’s behalf.

On average, family caregivers spend more than $7,200 each year on caregiving expenses, according to AARP research. But Broussard said caregivers of veterans spend 50 percent more than that — an average of $11,500 a year — because military veterans often require more complex care.

In his written testimony, Broussard said military caregivers consistently experience poorer health outcomes, greater strains in family relationships and more workplace problems than noncaregivers. They often provide care earlier and longer than civilian caregivers because of service-related injuries.

“Family caregivers need commonsense solutions that will save them time and money and provide them with more support,” he said in his testimony.

Resources available but more help needed

AARP has spearheaded numerous efforts to support veterans and their caregivers. Our Veterans Resources Hub helps veterans, active duty and military families find information about VA benefits, caregiving, fraud and more.

With the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, we developed a caregiving guide and a mental health and emotional support guide for veteran and military family caregivers.

AARP also offers a free digital tool to help veterans and family members navigate health benefits, including help available through the PACT Act for veterans exposed to toxins, as well as a guide to benefits for veterans who want to modify their homes so they can remain independent.

“We are doing what we can to help,” Broussard told the panel. “We try to make sure that veterans and their families get access to benefits that they’re eligible for, and know what help is out there, but we need more than a website.”

Watch a recording of the hearing, and find more on family caregiving and AARP’s caregiving advocacy.