Source: AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving — Caregiving in the U.S. 2025 Report
A Growing Reality Across the Nation
A new 2025 report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving reveals a powerful truth:
Nearly one in four U.S. adults now provides unpaid care to an aging parent, chronically ill relative, or loved one.
That means 63 million Americans are acting as caregivers — many juggling jobs, children, and their own health while providing support that used to be handled by trained professionals.
Caregiving today often includes:
- medication management
- wound care
- mobility assistance
- medical equipment oversight
- complex scheduling with specialists and home-health services
These tasks once required clinical training, yet millions of family members are doing them daily, often without relief, training, or acknowledgment.
Why This Matters
This rise in family caregiving represents more than a demographic shift — it signals a system under pressure and households absorbing responsibilities previously held by the healthcare workforce.
According to the report:
- 61% of caregivers say they have no formal training for the medical tasks they perform.
- More than half report emotional strain, anxiety, or exhaustion.
- One in three caregivers now provides 20+ hours of unpaid care per week — the equivalent of a second job.
And yet, despite the burnout, fear, and overwhelming responsibility, one message stands out clearly:
You are not alone- millions are walking this same path.
The Landscape of Caregiving Is Changing
As America ages, caregiving is becoming a shared national experience, no longer an exception or a private struggle. The report highlights systemic gaps — limited home-care availability, rising long-term care costs, and inconsistent state support — but it also underscores a collective strength emerging across communities.
Family caregivers are stepping up with resilience, resourcefulness, and profound love.
And now more than ever, they need support.
What This Means for You
If you’re caring for a parent, partner, sibling, or child with medical needs, your experience is part of a larger story — one that is finally gaining visibility.
This matters because:
- Your emotional well-being deserves attention.
- Your labor has value.
- Your exhaustion is understandable, not a personal failure.
- Your need for support is valid.
Caregiving is no longer a private burden — it’s a national reality, shared by millions who are longing for clarity, community, and relief.
In Closing
Caregiving is becoming a universal chapter in the American family story.
Whether you’re in the thick of it or just beginning, know this:
You belong to a powerful, growing community of caregivers — and you deserve support, rest, and recognition.
You give so much care.
Let this moment give something back to you.