Throughout my career collaborating with everyone from patients to policymakers to advance public health across the United States, one thing has become clear to me: caregiving is fundamental to the human experience. Whether we are caring for a child or an older adult, the act of caregiving is a labor of love that keeps humans connected and healthy.
Our organization, the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), is dedicated to improving the quality of life for these friend and family caregivers, as well as those in their care. We recognize caregivers play a pivotal role in supporting the health of older adults, standing alongside loved ones navigating the aging and serious illness. Caregivers' health is deeply intertwined with that of older adult health — so, to fully understand older adults’ health, we must understand the role of caregivers.
While caregiving is a fulfilling experience and source of human connection, it is also necessary to recognize the unique ways it impacts the individuals doing the work. Caring for an older adult can affect caregivers' ability to prioritize their own health needs and may impact their economic outcomes. Existing disparities can also be exacerbated by caregiving, as people of color and women are among the most likely to be caregivers.
Still, we know there is resiliency among caregivers that keeps them invested in the care they provide. They consistently report that caregiving provides them emotional fulfillment, driving them to continue to support the older adults in their lives.
This sense of fulfillment provides the underpinning of our organizational philosophy: We are not trying to “cure” caregiving, but rather build a society that centers the joys of caregiving and reduces the hardships too many caregivers face. We want to make caregiving as sustainable, equitable and dignified as possible.
To do our work and advocate for changes, we need data that shine a spotlight on just how many of us are living the reality of caregiving. A cultural shift is happening that better recognizes caregivers, and I am excited to see this reflected as more organizational and government sources begin to tell caregivers’ stories through data. It can help us recognize and contextualize what caregivers have been experiencing and understand the health realities that older adults are facing. The new caregiver data featured in this year’s Senior Report represents a significant step forward in recognizing caregivers as essential contributors to the health and well-being of older Americans.
By shining a light on the diverse experiences of care through data, we can better equip the nation to support caregivers — because as long as there are families, love and people, there will always be care.