Who is Caring for the Caregiver?

Medical advances are enabling people to live longer. In the last one hundred years life expectancy in the U.S. has risen from 30 to 78 years of age. However, living longer increases the risk of debilitating diseases. Approximately 7.3 million Americans need assistance with one or more daily care activity. Over 78% of adults living in the community depend on family and friends to assist with their need of long-term care. In 2004, 30% of persons caring for elderly were aged 65 or over; another 15% were between the ages of 45–54. In 1999 nearly 22.4 million people had provided informal care to a relative or friend age 50 or older and in 2009 it rose to 43.5 million; this care can necessitate leave of absence from work; 50% of extended leaves involve care of a relative. Caregiving responsibilities can create overwhelming physical, financial and emotional strain on the caregiver and the community. As the boomer generation ages the difficulties of the caregiver will only increase as the number of elderly swells to heights never experienced before.

·         Two-thirds of the more than 4 million working family caregivers caring for elderly spent 40+ hours per week caring for a family member, and 1.6 million spent 20-40 hours a week (U.S. Dept. of Labor, 1998).

·         Nearly 3/4 of the caregivers are woman and 41% have one or more children under age18 living in the home (DHHS, 2007; MetLife, 1997, p9).

·         In 2010 about 54% of all workers will become caregivers at a projected cost of $11.4 billion per year in lost production (MetLife, 1997, pp7&33).

·         The cost in lost wages is estimated at an average of $109 per day, and has an estimated economic value of $196 billion for services rendered, and a loss of as much as $3 trillion in caregivers’ pensions and Social Security benefits (Arno, Levine, & Memmott, 1999; MetLife, 2011; Stucki, & Mulver, 2000).

·         36% of caregivers are vulnerable and have difficulty providing care. Up to 27% report physical difficulties, and their mental health is compromised as well (MetLife, 2011; Navaie-Waliser, et al. 2002).

·         The dependence on informal caregivers can form a stressful and potentially unsafe environment for both the caregiver and the care receiver (Navaie-Waliser, et al. 2002; Reinhard, et al., 2008).

With 43.5 million informal caregivers providing s services valued at $450 billion in 2009, losing $3 trillion in wages and related benefits, and up to 50% of caregivers meeting the criteria for major clinical depression, better caregiver support systems must be put into place. A specific plan needs to be  developed for caregivers that partners with health and social service administrations across state departments, healthcare systems, community-based service organizations, work and family organizations, advocates, research facilities, and consumers to ascertain challenges, opportunities and system-changing plans with yearly evaluations to incorporate family caregivers within systems of care.