Caregiving costs put financial support in focus for midterm voters

The expense of caring for adult relatives and friends is becoming an issue in the 2026 midterm elections, as families balance their loved ones' needs against household bills and retirement savings. An AARP survey in 43 competitive congressional districts found that most likely voters age 50 and older would be more inclined to support candidates who favor assistance for unpaid caregivers.

Among those older voters, 77% said a candidate's support for a tax credit for family caregivers who contribute to a loved one's care would make them more likely to vote for that candidate. Another 75% expressed the same preference for candidates supporting unpaid caregivers who help loved ones stay at home. Matt Hogan, a partner at Impact Research, said addressing caregivers' needs could help candidates reach a voting bloc he expects to decide the election.

Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research interviewed 1,368 likely voters, including 848 people age 50 and older, for AARP from Oct. 1 through Oct. 5. The full sample had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points, and responses were weighted to reflect the voting population in the targeted districts. AARP, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocate for people 50 and older, separately estimates that 59 million Americans care for an adult relative, neighbor or friend.

The financial commitment can be substantial. A new Edward Jones study found that people caring for aging relatives spend an average of $8,737 annually out of pocket, with consequences for their careers and retirement savings. The Employee Benefit Research Institute's 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey found that 34% of caregivers had less than $10,000 in savings and investments, compared with 25% of non-caregivers. Debt was a problem for 69% of caregivers and 57% of non-caregivers.

In Temple, Texas, Brittney Saunders Graves, a 33-year-old part-time counselor, spends about $600 a month helping her mother with transportation, copays and medications. Her mother, Tracey Saunders, 62, had a debilitating stroke in 2020. Graves, an Army veteran who has also survived a stroke, said her mother has only about $400 for food after necessities, before accounting for medication and medical appointments.

People supporting aging parents while raising children or handling other family obligations face particular pressures, said Howard University political science professor Keesha Middlemass. She expects this sandwich generation to expand as the population ages and lifespans increase. Sarah Smitley, 50, of Sylvania, Ohio, cares for her 20-year-old daughter with autism and helps her parents. A nonprofit family navigator, Smitley said limited time off and medical expenses can make even another $50 difficult to find.

Some Medicaid cuts under President Donald Trump's "big beautiful bill" are scheduled to begin in January 2027. Middlemass said losing government assistance would intensify the burden on unpaid caregivers who help cover relatives' expenses. She also warned that forthcoming Medicaid and Medicare cuts would hurt lower-income people and workers in the care economy.

Paula Bussard, a 71-year-old retiree in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, fears fewer doctors, home health agencies and medical equipment suppliers will accept Medicaid. Her family spends $5,000 to $7,000 each year caring at home for her son Alex, 42, who has complex medical needs after surviving a brain tumor and brain hemorrhage. Those costs include supplies and accommodations Medicaid does not cover.

Bussard said Medicaid helps families care at home for people unable to work. Yet campaign promises have not assured every caregiver that relief will arrive. Graves questioned whether the assistance being advertised would ultimately materialize.