Caregiving in the U.S. Becoming a Way of Life; More than 15% of Population is Caregiving

Family caregiving is becoming a very typical pattern in U.S. life, now involving more than 44 million Americans, while the number of men assuming the active role of primary caregiver is becoming increasingly common, according to a comprehensive study conducted for AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving.

Today, an estimated 44.4 million U.S. residents provide unpaid care for another adult, most often an elderly family member. More than 26 million of these caregivers (59%) either work or have worked while providing this care, while 62% of all caregivers have had to make some adjustments to their work life, from reporting late to work to giving up work entirely. 

Men are increasingly among the ranks of family caregivers, assuming a role as primary caregiver that has traditionally been the realm of women. The NAC/AARP study found 39% of all caregivers today are men, up from 28% not long ago, and 6 out of every 10 male caregivers must balance working full-time with their caregiving duties.
 
While more than 15% of the U.S. population is a caregiver today, most of them are unprepared for the role and report needing help or information on at least one aspect of their caregiving role. 

This study found there is a tremendous need for information and education, said Gail Hunt, executive director for NAC, in releasing the study, which is titled “Caregiving in the U.S.” The study was conducted to update and expand knowledge about the activities caregivers say they perform, the perceived impact of caregiving on their daily lives, and the unmet needs of this fast-expanding population. 

The study indicates that three in 10 caregivers carry the heaviest load.  These people provide the most hours of care, fulfill the most demanding responsibilities, and are the most affected by their role.  This group is more likely to report physical strain, emotional stress, and financial hardship as a result of their caregiving responsibilities compared to caregivers who provide fewer hours of care and perform less demanding tasks.

These same caregivers may find their responsibilities complicated by the fact that they tend to be older and more likely to say their own health is only fair compared to other caregivers.  Women are more likely to be providing care at the most intense levels of caregiving compared to men.

Caregivers were defined in the study as people age 18 and older who help another person age 18 and older with at least one of 13 tasks that caregivers commonly do on an unpaid basis.  These tasks range from helping another person manage finances, shop for groceries, or do housework to helping someone regularly get in and out of bed or chairs, get dressed, get to and from the toilet, bathe or shower, or eat.
 
While this definition of caregiver ranges widely, the actual care recipients skew very heavily to older Americans. In fact, fully 79% all people receiving this care are age 50 or older.  Caregivers identify the primary problem they deal with in caring the older people as aging (15%), and their main health problems are heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease or other mental confusion
 
On average, the caregiving role lasts 4.3 years; however, three in 10 caregivers report providing care for more than five years.  Caregivers age 50 and older who tend to be caring for mothers and grandmothers are among the most likely to have provided care for 20 years or more.  But these numbers are not the full story: 17% of caregivers between the ages of 50-64 years and 18% over age 65 have been providing care for more than a decade, according to study findings.
 
Here are some key highlights from the study:

1. The typical caregiver is a 46-year-old female, who is married, has some college experience, and provides care to a woman age 50 or older.
2. More than eight in 10 (83%) caregivers say they assist relatives.
3. A typical care recipient is female, who is widowed.
4. The average age of care recipients ages 50+ is 75 years.
5. Among caregivers who are caring for someone other than a spouse, the most burdened caregivers say they make an average monthly financial contribution of $437.
6. Nearly one in five (17%) caregivers say they provide 40 or more hours of care each week.
7. The value of family caregiving to society is estimated at $257 billion annually.

The report, which was funded by MetLife Foundation, is based on a national survey of 6,139 adults, 1,247 qualified as caregivers.  The margin of error for a sample this size is 2.8% at a 95% level of confidence.
 
The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) is a non-profit coalition created in 1996 to support family caregivers and the professionals who serve them. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to making life better for people 50 and over.

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If you care for a family member or friend who you also live with you could qualify for up to over $29,000 per year in payments through the Adult Family Living Program at Caregiver’s Home Solutions!  Please call us at 203-870-9850 to discuss this program or other home care options in the Fairfield County or New Haven County areas with our home care experts at Caregiver’s Home Solutions!