Family caregivers in Washington state provide an estimated $25 billion worth of unpaid care each year, according to a new report from AARP.

The report, called “Valuing the Invaluable,” found about 1.2 million people in Washington care for an aging loved one, assisting with everything from rides to appointments to complex medical tasks such as injections.

Cathleen MacCaul, advocacy director for AARP Washington, called family caregivers the unsung heroes of the state’s long-term care system.

“Without family caregivers, our long-term care system falls apart,” she said, “and AARP is really trying to capture that with data to paint a picture of how critical family caregivers are to our overall long-term care system.”

MacCaul said that without caregivers, many more Washington residents would be forced to rely on paid in-home care or costly institutional care, increasing expenses for families, taxpayers and public programs.

While there is room for improvement, MacCaul said Washington has done more than other states to support family caregivers. She pointed to WA Cares, the nation's first publicly funded long-term care insurance program, that is launching in July. People who pay into the program will be able to access things such as in-home care, home modifications and meals.

However, she said, especially with a rapidly aging population, the need for family caregivers is not going away anytime soon.

“There is really no way that the state would ever be able to pay for the services that these family caregivers provide,” she said.

One of the biggest challenges facing caregivers, according to MacCaul, is knowing where to turn for help. She said the state offers a variety of supports, including through the local offices of the Area Agency on Aging. She said people can access more resources through the AARP website.

This story is republished from Public News Service, an independent, member-supported news organization and Certified B Corporation committed to increasing awareness of and engagement with critical public interest issues by reporting and delivering credible journalism and media packages through a network of independent state newswires.