Here's an article regarding the huge and growing out-of-pocket costs that exist for people caring for aging relatives. The out-of-pocket cost of caring for an aging parent or spouse averages about $5,500 a year, according to the nation’s first in-depth study of such expenses, a sum that is more than double previous estimates and more than the average American household spends annually on health care and entertainment combined. The National Alliance for Caregiving did the study.