SEPT/OCT 2014
13
A Snapshot of
Caregiving Today
Who are the caregivers?
Who are the care receivers?
by Lisa M. Petsche, Staff Writer
In approximately 30 percent of
American households, unpaid care
is regularly provided to someone
who is chronically ill, disabled or
aged and whose ability to carry out
activities of everyday life is compromised.
It’s not necessary to live under the
same roof as the person one is helping or to provide assistance with
personal or medical care in order to
be considered a caregiver.
Here is some information about
the nature of caregiving today.
• Who are the caregivers?
The typical caregiver is an adult
child providing help to a parent or
parent-in-law. But a caregiver may
also be a friend or neighbor, grandchild, sibling or other extended
family member, spouse or parent.
The majority of caregivers are
female and married. A significant
proportion are young seniors caring
for older seniors, and they may have
health issues of their own. Most often, though, caregivers are in the 4565 age group. Those at the younger
end are likely to have children still at
home and consequently have been
labeled “the sandwich generation.”
Close to two-thirds of family care-
givers are employed. They juggle
caregiving with paid work and other
responsibilities such as maintaining
their own households and attending to other family members. It’s no
surprise self-care is a lo ܁