The United States has approximately 1.4 million people employed in home health care services, with such jobs expected to grow more than 20% over the next decade. In a year, that care totaled nearly 36 billion hours at a cost of $600 billion. In addition to professional home caregivers (which I have personally experienced do good work), there are an estimated 53 million people who are unpaid family members working as caregivers. From 2015 to 2020, that number had increased by 10 million. 

In other words, more than one in five Americans (21% of our adult population) is acting as a caregiver for a family member. Some are even trying to balance caregiving while working, going to school or raising a family. 

The need is obvious, but the cost for professional health care is extremely expensive and often not covered by medical insurance, so the burden may fall on a family member. The health and financial toll on the caregiver are often overlooked. Half of caregivers report feeling a sense of purpose or meaning in their caregiving tasks, but increasing numbers of them feel stressed (physically, emotionally and financially) and believe their own health is suffering because of their roles. Overall, almost a quarter (23%) of caregivers today say they find it difficult to take care of their own health, and another 23% say caregiving has made their own health worse.

Another issue is how it affects their work. Nearly two-thirds of caregivers are still employed, but their jobs are made more difficult because of going to work late, needing to leave early or having to take time off. Others have given up working, some abruptly and unprepared financially. 

A new analysis of a 2023 AARP study shared in the latest issue of The Journal on Active Aging took a close look at the difficulty caregivers face balancing career and caregiving—and its adverse effects on the U.S. economy. In addition to the majority of family caregivers who have difficulty balancing their jobs with caregiving duties, more than a quarter of them have shifted from full-time to part-time work or reduced hours. Some have turned down a promotion. Others have changed employers or quit working altogether to meet caregiving responsibilities. Remember, the average time a caregiver provides unpaid care for a loved one is 4.5 years and is expected to increase to five years or longer.

Caregiving can cause stress in marriages and family/sibling relationships. Most families don’t discuss moving an in-law into the home until it becomes a necessity. With a whirlwind of emotional sting due to having to leave a home and move in with an adult child, relationships between you, your parents and your spouse can suffer greatly.

Caregiving can take a toll on your relationship with siblings and other family members—sometimes out of frustration that they aren’t helping with caregiving responsibilities or feelings of jealousy that you spend more time with the family members than they do. Your health and well-being are oftentimes placed second, causing stress or burnout which can adversely effect your own health and well-being.

To help manage these issues, here are some healthy steps

• Take care of yourself. Don’t neglect doctor visits and tap into support groups.

• Identify caregiving resources available in your community, including Meals on Wheels, adult daycare and assisted living possibilities that offer respite care, allowing you to take a break.

• Have a plan in place. Don’t wait until a crisis strikes to have a conversation with your parent or family members. Identify what circumstances might lead to considering long-term care options for your parent or family member and invite them into the planning process.

• Take time to establish a formal plan and boundaries. Have your loved ones craft a budget. Set your own boundaries so that your support of your loved one does not jeopardize your financial health. Look to sources of financial assistance, whether from government entities or nonprofit organizations. Already in Canada, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) has received millions of dollars to support those with dementia, their families and their caregivers. This is vital help since the unpredictable nature of caregiving is among the biggest stressors that caregivers face.

• Try to avoid power struggles among siblings regarding long-term care of your family member. One sibling refusing to pitch in with time or money is not unusual. If you are the sibling who is shouldering a disproportionate burden of the care, resist resentment that can lead to family conflict.

Important things to consider are planning, sharing responsibility equally among family members, seeking outside help and ensuring there is open communication among all family members. Lack of communication is a known cause of divorce. Having a compassionate, loving and caring commitment may be the keystone in resolving the challenging situation of caregiving as an unpaid family member.

In discussing this challenge, I refer to 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT): “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.”  

“Struck down but not destroyed” is another rendering of verse 9 (see ESV). This is why we never give up. We may find family caregiving responsibility can be enjoyable. ©2024 Kenneth H. Cooper

The Scripture marked NLT is taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. The Scripture marked ESV is taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version.