A night of stand-up comedy and stage hypnosis is coming to downtown Jacksonville next Thursday, all in the name of supporting the region's family caregivers. ElderSource is holding Giggles for Good, an event built to raise awareness and support for family caregivers, with hypnotist and comedian Rich Guzzi headlining the show.
The performance is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, at WJCT Studios in downtown Jacksonville, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m., according to News4JAX. Tickets run $125 apiece. Per the ElderSource event page, that price includes the show itself, food, two drink tickets covering beer and wine, and a meet-and-greet with Guzzi after the performance. American Sign Language interpreter services will also be provided at no cost to participants, the event page notes.
ElderSource describes the show as combining stand-up comedy, stage hypnosis, and what it calls inspiring caregiver motivation, according to the same event listing. Guzzi has been featured on Access Hollywood, TMZ, and Parade Magazine, and he returned to The Morning Show on Friday to discuss both the upcoming event and his own experience as a caregiver over the past decade, per News4JAX's reporting.
Proceeds Aimed at Local Caregiver Programs
ElderSource says the event benefits its programs and services that support family caregivers, the organization's event page states. The nonprofit describes its broader mission as giving care to seniors, veterans, and adults with disabilities, according to News4JAX. Among its existing offerings is TCARE, a program the organization's caregiver support page says is designed to support family caregivers at risk for burnout.
The push comes as caregiving pressures mount statewide. An AARP Florida report found that 24% of adults in Florida, approximately 4.45 million people, are family caregivers, and that 34% of caregivers spend at least 40 hours a week providing care or provide constant care. The same report found that 41% of caregivers experience high emotional stress while caregiving, and 24% feel alone while doing it.
Conflicting Estimates on Care's Economic Value
Figures on the dollar value of that unpaid labor vary depending on the source. The AARP Florida prevalence report states that family caregivers provide $40 billion in unpaid care each year in the state, while a separate 2026 AARP report puts the annual economic value of unpaid care by Florida family caregivers at more than $81 billion, estimating that 4.3 million Floridians caring for adults contribute 4.1 billion hours of care annually. That same 2026 report found Florida caregivers now average 27 hours of care each week. Nationally, AARP estimates caregivers of adults provided 49.5 billion hours of care in 2024, worth a total of $1.01 trillion.
ElderSource's CEO has previously discussed the organization's local support programs and ways residents can help caregivers in an earlier appearance covered by News4JAX. Giggles for Good follows that same thread, pairing a lighthearted night out with a cause organizers say touches a significant share of Jacksonville-area households.
