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Who are our nation's caregivers?

Dr. William D. Knopf
Dr. William D. Knopf
Cardiologist
Piedmont Heart Institute
POSTED BY Dr. William D. Knopf

Most Americans will be informal caregivers at some point during their lives. During any given year, there are more than 44 million Americans (21% of the adult population) who provide unpaid care to an elderly or disabled person 18 years or older. Altogether, informal caregivers provide 80 percent of the ...

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Most Americans will be informal caregivers at some point during their lives. During any given year, there are more than 44 million Americans (21% of the adult population) who provide unpaid care to an elderly or disabled person 18 years or older. Altogether, informal caregivers provide 80 percent of the long-term care in the United States.

  • Sixty-one percent of caregivers are women
  • Most caregivers are middle-aged
  • Thirteen percent of caregivers are aged 65 years and older
  • Fifty-nine percent of informal caregivers have jobs in addition to caring for another person. Because of time spent caregiving, more than half of employed women caregivers have made changes at work, such as going in late, leaving early, or working fewer hours

This answer from the National Women's Health Information Center has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.

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