NAC & AARP Research Report: Caregiving in the U.S. 2020
The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP have released a research report, "Caregiving in the U.S. 2020."
The new study finds that the number of family caregivers in the United States increased by 9.5 million from 2015 to 2020 to total 53 million people and encompasses more than one in five Americans. "Caregiving in the U.S. 2020" also reveals that family caregivers are in worse health compared to five years ago.
First conducted in 1997, with follow up surveys in 2004, 2009 and 2015, the "Caregiving in the U.S." studies provide some of the most comprehensive information about caregivers in America. This new study shows that the profile of the family caregiver is changing. While caregiving spans all generations, "Caregiving in the U.S. 2020" found more young people providing care, including 6% who are Gen Z and 23% who are Millennials. Nearly half (45%) are caring for someone with two or more conditions—a significant jump from 37% in 2015. Caregiving is complex, with three in five caregivers (58%) performing medical and nursing tasks such as wound care and managing medications.
“The coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating the challenges family caregivers were already facing from a personal health, financial and emotional standpoint,” said Susan Reinhard, RN, PhD, Senior Vice President at AARP. “Family caregivers provide vital help and care for their loved ones, yet this survey shows that they keep getting stretched thinner and thinner. We must identify and implement more solutions to support family caregivers—both in the short term as we grapple with coronavirus and in the long term as our population ages and the number of family caregivers declines.”
The John A. Hartford Foundation was a co-sponsor of this report.
To go to the report, click here.
To go to the full report PDF, click here.
To go to the companion report, A Focused Look at Family Caregivers of Adults Age 18 to 49, click here.
To go to the companion report, A Focused Look at Family Caregivers of Adults Age 50+, click here.