Family Caregivers Are a Growing Industry in Healthcare

Every single day, 65,700 dedicated individuals join the ranks of family caregivers. From hard-working young people to aging relatives, they represent every generation and community, now numbering more than 50 million Americans.

It is no exaggeration to say that family caregivers are a growing class of healthcare providers, taking on tasks that once took place only in doctors’ offices and hospitals.

Yet, they are frequently unprepared for the job and should have more support.

Caring for wounds, giving injections, managing pain, running specialized equipment, and monitoring recovery after surgery are all part of today’s family caregiver job description. But new caregivers – those who have been providing care for six months or less may be plunged into tougher assignments with complex care needs. Newer caregivers are statistically more likely to care for someone needing hospitalization, dealing with multiple ailments, suffering broken bones, or fighting cancer.

And let’s not forget they also need to navigate how to guide loved ones through the health care labyrinth, coordinate appointments, and arrange transportation. Family caregivers advocate on behalf of their family and friends in need. They pay for services out of their own pockets. And they do all these tasks selflessly on top of the household and personal care they already provide their loved ones.

If we put a price tag on the sum of their unpaid efforts, it would be about half a trillion dollars.

For all these reasons, we are delighted that the Department of Health and Human Services recently released its strategy to support family caregivers, which identified hundreds of steps in the right direction for our nation. Prominent among the recommendations are proposals to include family caregivers in the hospital discharge process and to recognize them as members of care teams. 

Much work remains, however, if we are to truly equip family caregivers with the know-how and assistance they need. Adults of all ages and backgrounds can find themselves thrust into the caregiving role, suddenly responsible for duties for which they have no experience.

One in two family caregivers is younger than 50. Six in 10 combine family caregiving with working at a paid job. Women comprise the majority of family caregivers, though many men embrace the task and account for about 40 percent of family caregivers.