63 Million Americans Are Caregivers And Most Get No Support

Nearly 1 in 4 adults are caregivers now. That's 63 million people caring for sick or disabled loved ones while dealing with financial, physical, and emotional strain.

Those numbers are up 45% from 2015 and they just keep increasing.

New data from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving shows how bad it is depends on where you live. Some states help caregivers with costs. Others leave families alone to figure it out.

Geography Determines Everything

59% of family caregivers in Georgia face financial strain. In Minnesota it’s 34%.

Where you live can double your risk of economic hardship from caregiving.

These state-by-state disparities expose how policy choices determine whether families thrive or collapse under caregiving responsibilities," said Jason Resendez, the alliance's president and CEO. "Patchwork state solutions aren't enough.

The Numbers

• Percentage of adults who are caregivers: Examples range from 20% in D.C to 34% in Mississippi.

• High-intensity caregivers: 32% in Wisconsin to 55% in Tennessee. High-intensity means the most demanding care. Over half of Tennessee caregivers fall into this.

• Providing 40+ hours weekly: 14% in Iowa to 37% in Tennessee. That's a full-time job on top of actual jobs.

• Helping with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, feeding: 54% in Indiana to 76% in Georgia. Intimate, physically demanding stuff.

• Getting paid for caregiving: 10% in Iowa to 28% in New Jersey. Some states don't even let spouses get paid. This means quitting your job to care for your husband full-time can equal zero compensation in some places.

What Actually Helps

States with paid leave, respite care, and health system integration had better outcomes according to the research.

It turns out when you give people support and money, they do better. Most states don't offer much of any of that though. Most families are on their own.

Why this Matters

Nancy LeaMond from AARP called caregivers "the invisible backbone of our health system and economy."

Without family caregivers, healthcare collapses. Nursing homes can't handle 63 million more people. Home health aides cost money that most families don't have.

So, families quit jobs, drain savings, and destroy their own health caring for loved ones.

"Too many are paying the price out of their own pockets," LeaMond said.

Why it's Getting Worse

The population is aging. People are living longer with chronic conditions. Dementia rates are also climbing.

Healthcare costs keep rising. Professional care is unaffordable. Nursing homes cost $100,000+ annually in many areas.

Therefore, families step in, are unpaid, unsupported, and burnt out.

The 45% increase since 2015 reflects this. More people need care. Fewer can afford professional help. So, family fills the gap.

The Policy Gap

Some states pay family caregivers through Medicaid. Some offer respite care. Some have paid family leave.

Others have basically nothing.

Georgia caregivers face nearly double the financial strain of Minnesota caregivers. Not because Georgians are bad at caregiving, but because Minnesota has better policies.

Policy failure does not mean personal failure.

What Caregivers Need

Caregivers need and deserve money, time off, healthcare, respite care, training, and mental health support.

It’s not complicated. Other countries do this. Some U.S. states do pieces of this.

But sadly, most states leave families to figure it out. Work full-time, care for mom full-time, somehow pay bills, and somehow stay sane.

The Real Costs

Caregivers who cut hours or quit their jobs lose income, retirement savings, career advancement, and possibly health insurance.

Financial hits compounds over years. Many people drain their savings caring for parents and have nothing for their own retirement.

And the economy loses productive workers too.

Health Consequences

Caregiving wrecks health. There is physical strain from lifting, bathing, and moving people. Then there is emotional strain watching loved ones decline. Add in the sleep deprivation and stress and you get higher rates of depression, anxiety, and chronic conditions for the people doing the caring.

Many caregivers skip their own doctor appointments and ignore their own problems because they are too consumed caring for someone else.

Then they become the person needing care.

What Should Happen

AARP and the National Alliance are calling on lawmakers to address this.

They are asking for things like federal paid family leave, universal respite care, better Medicaid coverage for home care, and tax credits for caregiving expenses.

AARP's website has state-specific resources for caregivers. So, it’s worth checking what's available where you live.

Bottom Line

63 million Americans are caregivers. Support depends on geography.

Financial strain hits 59% in Georgia versus 34% in Minnesota. There is a huge policy gap.

Families are collapsing under caregiving responsibilities while healthcare depends on their unpaid labor. Something has to change before all 63 million caregivers burn out.

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