SOUTH DAKOTA – South Dakotans who put in a lot of unpaid labor caring for a loved one are not alone, as a new report placed the yearly economic value at $2.5 billion.

The latest estimate comes from AARP’s policy arm, which factors in contributions from the state’s 150,000 family caregivers. The work includes daily tasks like meal prepping or coordination of medical and social services. The report’s authors said the unpaid labor of family caregivers represents an average economic value of just over $20 per hour.

Erik Gaikowski, state director of AARP South Dakota, said the caregivers are managing other evolving aspects of caregiving, like managing a loved one’s telehealth visits. Sudden events complicate such situations, like a fall in the home.

“Family caregivers are dealing with those ups and downs on a daily basis,” Gaikowski pointed out. “They are taking on a pretty substantial workload, keeping older adults in their homes where they want to be for as long as possible.”

Nationally, AARP said 59 million caregivers contribute $1 trillion in unpaid labor each year. Advocates have long called for state and federal tax credits to provide relief for caregivers taking on added expenses. In the meantime, Gaikowski noted South Dakotans can take advantage of existing state-level tools, including one streamlining access to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.

Nancy LeaMond, chief advocacy and engagement officer for AARP, said the national $1 trillion estimate is not just an extraordinary sum.

“The value of family caregiving exceeds total federal, state and local Medicaid spending nationwide,” LeaMond emphasized. “Put another way, family caregivers are the backbone of our long-term care system.”

As for the increased demands, the report showed more than half of family caregivers now provide high-intensity care, including complex medical and nursing tasks like wound care and administering injections.