Caregiving Stats from National Alliance for Cargiving & AARP 11/09
More than 65 million people, 29% of the U.S. population, provide care for
a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year
and spend an average of 20 hours per week providing care for their loved one.
The value of the services family caregivers provide for “free,” when caring for
older adults, is estimated to be $375 billion a year. That is almost twice as
much as is actually spent on homecare and nursing home services combined
($158 billion).
The typical family caregiver is a 49-year-old woman caring for her widowed
69-year-old mother who does not live with her. She is married and employed.
Approximately 66% of family caregivers are women. More than 37% have
children or grandchildren under 18 years old living with them.
1.4 million children ages 8 to 18 provide care for an adult relative; 72%
are caring for a parent or grandparent; and 64% live in the same household
as their care recipient. Fortunately, most are not the sole caregiver.
20 hours per week is the average number of hours family caregivers spend
caring for their loved ones while 13% of family caregivers are providing 40
hours of care a week or more.
Family caregivers are the foundation of long-term care nationwide exceeding Medicaid long-term care spending in all states.
51% of care recipients live in their own home, 29% live with their family
caregiver, and 4% live in nursing homes and assisted living.
36% of family caregivers care for a parent and 7 out of 10 caregivers are
caring for loved ones over 50 years old.
14% of family caregivers care for a special needs child with an estimated
16.8 million caring for special needs children under 18 years old. 55%
of these caregivers are caring for their own children.
78% of adults living in the community and in need of long-term care depend
on family and friends as their only source of help
