AARP Puts an Inflatable Couch in New York City for Unpaid Caregivers

AARP is putting an inflatable couch in public spots across New York City. Unpaid caregivers are invited to sit down, put their feet up and tell their own story. The goal is to make the hidden costs of caring for family easier to see.

What the campaign is

The couch is called the Caregivers Couch. It sits at the center of AARP's caregiving campaign in New York. It will pop up at locations across the city. For people who spend so much time caring for others, it offers a rare moment to pause and be heard.

AARP says the conversations are meant to put a human face on work that often goes unseen. That includes everyday acts of love. It also includes the financial, emotional and professional sacrifices caregivers make.

Who it touches

Unpaid caregivers are people who look after a parent, relative or other loved one without being paid. AARP is a large organization focused on people 50 and older. It says it wants to highlight the issues that matter most to New Yorkers 50-plus, and caregivers' stories are part of that effort.

What is not known yet

The material does not say where or when the couch will appear. It also does not explain how the stories will be collected, shared or used. AARP points readers to qr.aarp.org/caregivingstory to learn more, and to aarp.org/local for AARP New York resources and events.