Aging Services Environmental Scan
February, 2001

APPENDIX D

CAREGIVER CALCULATION

Estimate of Number of Caregivers in Travis County

Source: National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (1997). Family Caregiving in the U.S.: Findings from a National Survey.

Met Life Mature Market Group and National Alliance for Caregiving. (1997). The MetLife Study of Employer Costs for Working Caregivers.

Based on 1990 U.S. Census data

• Family Caregiving survey found that 23.2% of all U.S. households with telephones were involved in caregiving for an adult who is at least 50 years old.
• 1990 U.S. Census; Travis County had 217,008 households with telephones in 1990.
• Calculation: 23.2% of 217,008 = 50,346 caregivers

Estimate of Labor Hours Lost and Value of Lost Hours
(based on 1990 census data and 1990 income data. The per capita income in 1990 was $7.27/hour)

• Family Caregiving survey found that 64% of caregivers were working. Of these, 52% worked full time and 12% worked part time.
• Calculation:
  • 64% of 50,346 = 32,221 employed caregivers
  • 52% of 32,221 = 16,755 employed caregivers working full time

• Family Caregiving Survey found that 10.5% of employed caregivers were absent a minimum of three or more days in the previous 6 months (6 days per year) due to caregiving responsibilities.
• Calculations:
  • 10.5% of 16,755 = 1,759 persons missing work 6 x 1,759 = 10,556 hours/year
  • 10,556 hours x $7.27/hour = $76,740 value of missed hours
    
• Family Caregiving Survey found 59% of caregivers have partial absenteeism. MetLife study found that 22% of caregivers are unable to make up absenteeism, losing approximately 1 hour per week or 50 hours per year.
• Calculations:
  • 59% of 16,775 = 9,886 workers with partial absenteeism
  • 22% of 9,886 = 2,175 workers who can't make up time
  • 2,175 x 50 = 108,741 hours of work/year not made up
  • 108,741 x $7.27/hour = $790,544 value of missed work
    
• MetLife study found that 60% of caregivers experienced an eldercare crisis in the past 6 months that resulted in additional lost time of 3 days (24 hours) per year.
• Calculations:
  • 60% of 16,775 = 10,053 workers with eldercare crisis
  • 10,053 x 24 hours = 241,273 hours missed per year
  • 241,273 x $7.27/hour = $1,754,058 value of work missed
    
• Total value of hours missed per year:
• Calculations:
  • 10,556 hours/year or $76,740
  • 108,741 hours /year or $790,544
  • 241,273 hours/year or $1,754,058, or a total of
  • 360,570 hours/year or $2,621,342

(Estimate does not include the value of employees who had to leave their jobs because of caregiving responsibilities or the value of hours or wages of part time workers).

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