5 Facts About Family Caregivers

If you’re reading this in a public place, chances are you’re surrounded by some of the 60 million-plus people in America who are caring for a loved one.  And with November being National Family Caregivers month, the Pew Research Center recently highlighted these astonishing five facts:

1. There are 40.4 million unpaid caregivers of adults ages 65 and older in the United States. Of that group, nine-in-ten are providing care for an aging relative, and a plurality is caring for a parent.
2. Adults ages 45 to 64 are the most likely to be caregivers. In fact, about a quarter (23%) of adults ages 45 to 64 cares for an aging adult.
3. Most caregiving for aging parents is not in the form of financial support or personal care. More commonly, adults have helped their parent with errands, housework or home repairs.
4. Emotional support is a big part of caregiving. Most adults say they provide some emotional support for their aging parents, but more women say this than men.
5. Most adults who have helped an aging parent see it as rewarding; relatively few say it is stressful. Among those who have helped their parents in a matter of ways – financially, with errands housework, or home repairs or with personal care – 88% say it’s rewarding.

Take advantage of the tips and information provided in Pew’s comprehensive rundown:  Pew Highlights Caregivers