Across Ohio, the workday often does not end when people clock out. More than two million Ohioans, roughly one in four adults, are quietly caring for aging or ill relatives without pay, handling everything from grocery runs and doctor visits to managing medications and overnight check-ins. That unpaid labor keeps loved ones at home and trims public costs, but it also leaves many caregivers exhausted and dipping into their own wallets. Advocates and some lawmakers say a tax break could finally toss them a financial lifeline.
Late last month, state-level analysis found about 2.1 million Ohio adults provided uncompensated care, delivering an estimated 1.6 billion hours of help. AARP calculates that replacing that work would run around $32 billion. According to the AARP Public Policy Institute, many caregivers say those hours feel like a full-blown second job, just one without a paycheck or benefits.
The strain is most visible at home. In an interview with the Springfield News‑Sun, Englewood resident Tammy Wolfe, 62, described seven years of daily care for her 90-year-old mother, Helen Neff, who has dementia. The to-do list includes managing medications and bills, lining up medical appointments, and handling the everyday tasks her mother can no longer do alone. AARP Ohio officials point to stories like Wolfe’s when they argue that even modest financial relief could make a real difference.
A snapshot from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving sketches out who is doing the work. Ohio’s typical caregiver is 52 years old, the average person receiving care is 69, about 40 percent of caregivers are looking after a parent, and nearly 29 percent are supporting both children and adult family members at the same time, according to Caregiving in the U.S. 2025: Spotlight on Ohio. The report also finds that many Ohio caregivers provide high-intensity help while receiving little outside support, a mix that can wear families down over time.
National time-use data show how relentless the schedule can be. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that a large share of eldercare providers help several times per week or more, and many stay in that role for months or years. That long haul can leave lasting marks on careers and family finances, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lawmakers Push A Federal Credit And State Fixes
On Capitol Hill, one proposal has become a rallying point. The Credit for Caring Act, reintroduced in 2025, would create a nonrefundable federal tax credit of up to $5,000 for certain working caregivers. The money could be used to offset expenses such as respite care, home modifications, and paid aides, according to Senator Capito’s office and supporters including the Alzheimer’s Association. Ohio Rep. Mike Carey is among the House sponsors, and national groups are pressing Congress to fold caregiving relief into broader tax legislation.
What A Credit Would Mean For Ohio Families
The price tag for caregiving is not small. Local and national reporting on AARP research finds that caregivers spend roughly $7,200 a year out of pocket on average, which can amount to about 25 percent of their income. That kind of hit pushes families to raid savings or trim work hours, according to coverage by KCRA. Supporters say a modest state or federal tax credit would not erase those bills, but it could help cover everyday costs like adult day services, respite care, and transportation.
What To Watch Next
In Columbus, advocates are urging lawmakers to explore state-level options while Congress hammers out the details of any federal credit. AARP Ohio has publicly endorsed both state and federal measures, according to local reporting. A few states have already moved ahead. Oklahoma approved a broad caregiver tax credit in 2023, and organizers say Ohio lawmakers could study that and similar models as they weigh committee hearings and budget decisions this spring, as tracked in Oklahoma leads charge for caregiver support.
For now, families like Wolfe’s are still doing the quiet, daily work that keeps older Ohioans at home and out of institutions. Whether lawmakers turn the latest data into concrete tax relief remains an open question, one that could reshape how the state treats its massive, mostly invisible caregiving workforce.
