A new report from AARP Ohio shows caregiving is becoming a growing financial strain for families across the state.

According to AARP, more than 2 million adults in Ohio provide unpaid care to a loved one. The report shows 93 percent of Ohio caregivers spend their own money on care, while 72 percent say that responsibility is causing financial hardship.

For many families, caregiving has quietly become a second job. It is unpaid, emotionally demanding, and increasingly expensive. Caregivers report spending an average of around $7,200 a year on essential care for their loved ones.

Jenny Carlson, state director for AARP Ohio, says many caregivers are being forced to make difficult choices.

“Do you remain in that full time employment? Do you step out? Do you do something else to be able to care for a loved one? Do you pay your bills versus providing care?” Carlson said.

Carlson also says the strain on caregivers can reach beyond individual households and impact local economies.

“Burnout leads to workforce loss. Financial stress leads to instability. And so the ripple effect is many more people are now ending up in costly institutional care,” Carlson said.

A February 2026 Pew Research Center survey found some groups are more likely than others to be caregivers. Among women who have an aging parent, spouse, or partner, 28 percent are caregivers, compared to 23 percent of men. In low income households, 39 percent of adults are caregivers, compared with 16 percent of upper income adults.

More information is available through AARP’s Ohio family caregiving report.