Andrellea McNeil blow-dries Mary’s hair after her shower. She said Mary is an extremely easy patient and that she loves her.

Although the Canters can afford this extra help, many families cannot. According to a 2021 Caregiving Out-of-Pocket Costs Study by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the average family caregiver spends 26% of their income on caregiving. Half of the caregivers in the study reported using their own money for household-related expenses and said they have experienced financial setbacks.

“We have to be mindful of how we’re spending our money on caretaking,” Tina’s husband, Duane, said. “If we’re going to do it, it needs to be for a purpose. Prior to Andrellea, we had other caretakers, but all we were doing was paying a lot of money and not really getting a whole lot in return. They would just sit on a chair there in case something happened while Tina was out running errands.”