08-04-2025
Family caregivers push for government support
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Officials have tried to pass measures that would give family caregivers a tax credit, both at the state and federal level. But it's been a battle to turn these proposals into law.
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Steve Tame was a caregiver for his father who had Alzheimer's before he passed away. Tam and his family did everything they could to care for him, but it came with challenges. Challenges he says were staggering and overwhelming.
'Caregiving was really like treading water. 24/7 you know, struggling to keep my head above water, and then, you know, still have to balance full time jobs and also raising my children and caregiving,' said Tam.
Tam eventually had to quit his full time job, just as college tuition payments were due, spending a lot of money from his savings.'I think, you know, a caregiver tax credit would really be a lifeline for families, you know, like mine. Many Hawaii families provide unpaid, unpaid care, you know, at really a great personal and financial cost,' Tam said.
Craig Gima of AARP Hawaii says on average, caregivers spend more than $7,000 on supplies a year to help care for a loved one.
'They do an important job. without family caregivers caring for people at home, for loved ones at home, the whole long term care system would collapse. There's no way we'd be able to take care of kupuna unless family members and friends and loved ones are able to chip in,' explains Gima.
Gima says caregiving is such an important function that deserves some kind of government support.
'Our polling shows that voters believe that Congress and the state legislature should pass a tax credit for caregivers. That the government is not doing enough for caregivers. Strongly, 80%, 90% of people believe that this, bills like this should pass.'
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'We need to act now. It's crazy that families need to choose between caring for a loved one or their financial future and security,' explains Tam.
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