November is National Family Caregivers Month. Millions of Americans provide regular care to family members who are aging or disabled. The majority of family caregivers are unpaid. A study by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) estimated the value of unpaid caregiver labor at $600 billion.
This article discusses who they are, their challenges, and how we can better support them.
Family caregivers care for disabled and aging family members by performing tasks their family members cannot do themselves. Some examples include helping with transportation, shopping, cleaning, food preparation, bathing, grooming, using the toilet, overseeing their medical care, and transferring from one position to another. It can also mean acting as their family member's guardian or power of attorney.
According to the National Family Caregiver Alliance, family caregivers are disproportionately women. Female caregivers also provide more hours than male caregivers and are more likely to do complex tasks. People of color are also more likely to serve as caregivers for family members. The average age of a family caregiver is forty-nine.
Not all family caregivers live with or near the person they care for. About 15% of family caregivers are long-distance caregivers. They might be overseeing their family member's medical care from afar, managing their finances, communicating over the phone or the internet, and visiting frequently.
Caring for disabled and aging family members impacts a person’s health, financial, and social well-being.
Caring for disabled and aging family members is hard work and can lead to health problems. Caregiving can cause general aches and pains or can lead to injury. They are also at higher risk for chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. The stress of caregiving can also make their immune system less effective.
Caring for a family member impacts a person's mental health. Family caregivers experience high levels of stress, loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Their responsibilities also make it harder for them to do activities to improve their mental health, such as exercise or hobbies. Family caregivers are more likely to experience prolonged grief after the death of a family member.
Many people quit their jobs or reduce their hours to care for their disabled or aging family members. This results in lower income, which can have long-lasting effects. Their caregiving responsibilities may also impact their job performance and hinder attempts to advance their career.
Caregiving can also result in social isolation, further impacting their health. Time and energy dedicated to caregiving means less time for hobbies and socializing with others. If caregivers feel they cannot leave their family members alone, they may struggle to feel comfortable leaving their home.
The pandemic brought most challenges and opportunities for family caregivers. For mini, it increased the time and energy needed to support their family members. If their family member has a disability that puts them at high risk for COVID-19, that could increase their challenges.
Many of the places and resources that people with disabilities utilized closed at the beginning of the pandemic. Paid caregivers became more scarce. A family might have been more concerned about using paid in-home caregivers. The family was exposed to an increased number of people due to another person coming into the home.
However, one thing that the pandemic brought was the ability for many people to work at home. This allowed many family caregivers the opportunity to balance their caregiving responsibilities with paid work. Many companies are starting to force their workers back into the office. This puts the care of millions of Americans with disabilities at risk. It could also have the effect of forcing many people out of the workforce so they can care for their family members. And these people are disproportionately women, especially women of color.
There are already some options for supporting family caregivers. Other family members can volunteer to help. Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) can help a person at risk of falling stay safe alone at home. Long-distance caregivers can help with shopping or managing finances online. Future technologies may further reduce the burden on family caregivers.
Some states offer programs that pay for caregivers for people who qualify. Paid caregivers can supplement care provided by family members. Some states even pay for family members to serve as the person's paid caregiver. The rules vary by state.
Employers can support family caregivers by giving them as much flexibility as possible. This can mean things like choosing to work part-time, flexible hours or working from home.
Family caregivers are integral to our healthcare system but often go unpaid and unacknowledged. Women and people of color are more likely to care for aging and disabled family members. The care they provide negatively impacts their health, finances, and social well-being.
As we celebrate National Family Caregivers Month, we must recognize family caregivers' selfless dedication and show appreciation for their tireless efforts. Whether through small gestures or meaningful acts of support, every effort counts in acknowledging and supporting the invaluable role of family caregivers in our society.