HONOLULU (KHNO2) -- Being a veteran or military caregiver is a role that comes with responsibilities and often extra out-of-pocket costs, but there are resources to help.
Ilihia Gionson took on the role of primary caregiver for his father at the age of 19 when his mother passed away.
"My dad, Tony Gionson, Ewa Beach boy, graduating class at Campbell High School, drafted into the army right out of high school and sent to Vietnam," said veteran caregiver, Gionson. "So a lot of the impacts that he continues to feel today have to do with the things he saw, the experiences that he had."
According to the AARP, Hawaii has over 142,000 veterans and about half of them are 50 and older. The cost for a family member or a veteran is one and a half times more than most normal caregivers, often due to the type of injuries and needs.
"A family caregiver on average maybe spends about $7,000 a year out of their own pocket, where a family caregiver for a veteran or military family members, maybe it's a little bit over $11,000," explained Kealii Lopez, AARP Hawaii State Director.
The key for any family caregiver is to seek help. AARP has designed a caregiver guide and a financial workbook specifically for caregivers to a veteran or military person.
AARP also has a guide to help modify your home to accommodate the needs of your loved one. There is also a mobile app that helps navigate the available resources.
"Only 23% of those eligible to veteran affairs services take advantage of it. That's only 23%," Lopez added.
When thinking about service and the sacrifice that our service members make, caring for them when they come home is an extension of that.