Caregivers spend about $7,000 a year of their own money to keep their loved on at home. AARP Arizona has been trying to find ways to off-set those costs, and they were able to finally get it done.
It’s called the Family Caregiver Grant Program, and Dana Kennedy, state director of AARP Arizona, said it’s an example of a grassroots effort. She credits volunteers who called lawmakers 20 times a day for more than three weeks because the bill had stalled at one point.
She said Arizona is now the first state to offer such a program.
"These families are struggling. And you know they’re often trying to put their kid through school, sometimes college and also supporting their aging loved one," Kennedy said.
A couple with qualifying expenses can earn up to $1,000, while an individual could qualify for $500.
Lawmakers allocated $1 million in the budget for next three years. The pilot kicks off in January.
