[Excerpt] More than 75% of older adults would like to age in place in their own homes. Doing so often requires help. At first, family members step into that role. A 2020 report from AARP estimated that nearly 48 million Americans provide unpaid assistance to an adult relative or friend. That figure represented an increase of about 8 million people compared to just five years earlier, and the economic value of this unpaid labor has been estimated at more than $500 billion each year.

But, as older adults’ health deteriorates and their functional and cognitive abilities decline, many families find they need more support at home. Many will turn to paid caregivers.