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Caregiver Assistance

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There are 48 million unpaid family caregivers in the United States. Most caregivers are family members or friends who are working, managing their own families and caring for their loved ones at the same time. For many, the caregiving role doesn’t start all at once—it starts with simple things like scheduling a doctor’s visit or helping with daily errands, then gradually expands until it becomes a major commitment. On average, caregivers provide 23 hours of care a week, the equivalent of an unpaid, part-time job.

Since 2011, we have encouraged caregivers to care not only for their loved ones, but also for themselves. To date, the campaign has targeted several audiences: general market women age 40 to 60, male caregivers age 35 to 60, and Hispanic/Latino and African American/Black caregivers with an emphasis on women ages 35 to 60.

The campaign directs viewers to AARP’s Family Caregiving site, where caregivers can find free Care Guides, self-care tips, planning resources, legal and financial guidance, and more.

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African American/Black

One in five African Americans is a caregiver. African American/Black caregivers devote more than 34% of their annual income to expenses associated with providing care, compared to 14% for white caregivers. African American/Black caregivers are also more likely than white caregivers to spend over 21 hours per week caregiving, and the majority provide all or most of the care themselves, without the assistance of paid help.

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Male

Men represent 4 out of 10 of the more than 40 million Americans who are unpaid family caregivers. Although most male caregivers agree that caregiving is stressful, very few reach out for help. More than half (63%) of male caregivers are the primary caregiver for their loved one, and the majority of employed male caregivers juggle caregiving with working 40 or more hours per week.

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Hispanic/Latino

Nearly seven million Latinos in the U.S. provide unpaid care to an aging or older loved one. Many Latino family caregivers see caregiving responsibilities simply as something family members do for one another, and do not seek outside help. Nearly 7 in 10 Latino caregivers work an average of 36 hours per week outside the home, and 1 in 4 provide more than 40 hours of care each week.

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