Connecticut residents support a state income tax credit for family caregivers

BEING A FAMILY CAREGIVER IS A COMMON EXPERIENCE FOR SOME CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS, WITH MANY OF THEM PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR EVERYDAY EXPENSES. About three in ten (31 percent)

Connecticut residents 18 and older are or have been family caregivers, and most (73 percent) were employed at the same time. Providing financial assistance is most common (70 percent) among

them. Less common were making changes to one’s home (45 percent) or moving into another home (19 percent). Transportation is the most common expense that Connecticut family caregivers say

they have incurred when providing care to their loved one, with nearly nine in 10 (88 percent) noting the expense. About half have incurred expenses in making home modifications (55

percent), paying for general housing expenses (54 percent) and purchasing equipment such as wheelchairs or hearing devices (52 percent). Other expenses include buying prescription drugs (47

percent), paying for medical costs (37 percent) and hiring a home health aide (33 percent). Monthly out-of-pocket spending in caring for a loved one varies widely among Connecticut

caregivers, ranging from one in 11 (9 percent) who say they spend nothing each month to the roughly one in seven (15 percent) who report spending $1,000 or more per month. STRESS IN

BALANCING WORK AND FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN HEALTH ARE MAJOR CHALLENGES FACING CONNECTICUT CAREGIVERS. Feeling stressed emotionally (79 percent) and stressed

in trying to balance work and family responsibilities (73 percent) are most often noted by Connecticut caregivers. They also cited health challenges such as finding it difficult to get

enough rest (67 percent), exercise regularly (57 percent), maintain a healthy diet (42 percent), deal with health problems (37 percent), and make time to visit a doctor (35 percent). Perhaps

not surprisingly, addressing caregiving tasks often makes it difficult for Connecticut caregivers to take care of their household responsibilities (58 percent) and leaves them feeling

strained financially (43 percent). CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS FAVOR A STATE INCOME TAX CREDIT TO FAMILY CAREGIVERS, AND MOST SAY THEY WOULD SUPPORT A CANDIDATE TO THE CONNECTICUT STATE

LEGISLATURE WHO ENDORSED IT. There is overwhelming support for a state income tax credit to family caregivers who provide financial support to a loved one living in Connecticut: Two-thirds

(65 percent) of residents express strong support and one-quarter (24 percent) express some support for the measure. Majorities across political parties support a state income tax credit to

family caregivers, with Connecticut Democrats more likely to express strong support. More than three-quarters (77 percent) of Connecticut Democrats strongly support a state income tax credit

to family caregivers compared to six in 10 (60 percent) independents and slightly more than half (54 percent) of Republicans who do so. Most (53 percent) Connecticut residents say they

would be more likely to support a candidate to the Connecticut State Legislature who supported the tax credit, although a sizeable minority (37 percent) say it would make no difference in

their vote. When it comes to political party affiliation, however, Connecticut Democrats say they are much more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the tax credit (71 percent vs. 49

percent of independents and 36 percent of Republicans). If a loved one needed long-term care, Connecticut residents overwhelmingly prefer care at home with caregiver assistance, with eight

in 10 (81 percent) expressing the preference. Eight percent say they would prefer care in an assisted living or group home, while two percent say they would prefer a nursing home, one

percent would prefer something else and five percent are unsure. Nearly all (98 percent) Connecticut residents consider it important to have services enabling their loved one to remain at

home for as long as possible. Those 50 and older are more likely to consider it extremely important (59 percent vs. 47 percent of those 65-plus). Notably, there is little variation in

perceived importance by political party affiliation (90 percent of Democrats, 86 percent of independents and 85 percent of Republicans). METHODOLOGY The findings are based on a survey

conducted by phone in the fall of 2024 to better understand the views of Connecticut residents related to support for family caregivers. The sample of 1,001 Connecticut residents 18 and

older was based on data from a registered voter list obtained from Aristotle International. Data were weighted by gender, age and gender in age (by response) to reflect Connecticut residents

18 and older based on the statewide population from the sample source. The survey interviews averaged eight minutes in length. The interviews were conducted in English November 19 to

December 12, 2024. For more information, please contact Teresa A. Keenan at [email protected]. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at [email protected].