Who is caring for America’s most vulnerable?
By 2060, one in four Americans will be over the age of 65 (U.S. Census, 2015). At the same time, the pool of available family caregivers is expected to decline in coming years despite an increase in care needs (CDC, 2010). Considering this, the biggest issues facing the nation are: Who will care for us as we age?
At the other end of the lifespan, working families are increasingly dependent upon child caregivers. What does this workforce look like? And how do we best support a diverse network of caregivers? Its time to recognize caregiving as a women’s health issue, integrating formal and informal care as next steps towards comprehensive care policy.
Providing care to others is a critical part of our lived experience. What factors determine whether that experience is a burden or provides benefit? Furthermore, what are the implications of care provision on physical and emotional health, particularly for women, who comprise the largest segment of the information and formal care labor force?