AHCJ – Association of Health Care Journalists

07/18/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/18/2024 15:20

The struggle is real: Covering family caregiving

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels

A recent report found that 67% of family caregivers of older adults struggle to balance their jobs and caregiving roles, leading to serious ramifications for employers and the economy.

The report from S&P Global and AARP, highlights the push-pull many caregivers face due to lack of family-friendly policies or cohesive community-based services and supports:

  • 27% of working caregivers have shifted from full-time to part-time work or have reduced hours.
  • 16% have turned down a promotion.
  • 16% have stopped working entirely for a period of time.
  • 13% have changed employers to meet caregiving responsibilities.

Why this matters and story ideas

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of adults age 65 and older will surpass the population of those under age 18 by 2035. As the need for long-term care grows, employers will need to adapt their policies to address caregiving-related workforce issues or risk losing qualified workers.

Journalists should follow this trend very closely and consider these story ideas:

  • Investigate how employers in their communities are supporting workers who provide extensive caregiving to a family member.
  • Assess what policies or programs might help balance these responsibilities.
  • Ask how communities are stepping up to provide needed supports.

Methodology and results

S&P surveyed 1,200 self-identified caregivers who work full-time or part-time at large U.S. companies (1,000 or more employees) and provide at least six hours of care each week to an adult.

According to respondents, most employers - 80% - were more understanding of child care issues, than about caring for a parent, spouse or other older loved one; nearly half (49%) of remote workers were more likely to feel discriminated against compared to hybrid workers (29%) when it came to balancing job and family obligations. And inflation is putting significant stress on these families, making caregiving more challenging, the survey revealed.

Previous AARP research shows that of the nearly 48 million family caregivers in the U.S., 61% are working while juggling caregiving responsibilities, including assistance with daily living activities, medical or nursing tasks, coordinating services and supports, transportation, shopping and advocating for their care recipient. Most family caregivers provide at least 20 hours of care each week, equal to an unpaid part-time job, according to AARP. That's about $600 billion in unpaid labor annually, according to Susan Reinhard, AARP's vice president of public policy.

"They have to juggle their work, responsibilities and their caregiving responsibilities every hour of every day. It's constant," Reinhard said in a press briefing. Working caregivers devote an average of 4.5 years caring for an older loved one, spending an average of $33,000 in out-of-pocket costs during that time.

Some progress has been made since the last survey, released in 2020. Access to a flexible work schedule at the time of caregiving increased from 32% in 2020 to 45% in 2023, according to the AARP. And the availability of caregiving policies or benefits increased in every category except unpaid leave.

While this is a positive trend, "these findings highlight the need for greater support from employers through enhanced benefits and policies. Alexandra, managing director and global head of research and development for S&P Global Ratings, said at the briefing. "One of the most important ones being workplace flexibility."

Another challenge is the shortage of direct care workers, who could relieve some of the day-to-day caregiving burden and provide families with some much needed rest, according to Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. "We must respect those who care for us because they are professional, and they must be treated and paid like professionals. If we do this together, we'll be able to build a system of care that is there for us when it's our turn in our older age," he said.

It's a real crisis for many families, Becerra acknowledged. "When they can't find the help they need, or afford to send their family member to a place that can provide good care, they end up doing it themselves." Becerra highlighted the Biden administration's role in supporting the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, a federal and local action plan to build a better caregiver support system. He also mentioned the new federal nursing home staffing requirements, finalized last fall, as KFF Health News reported.

"Everyone in America deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and to have

access to the quality care they need," he said.

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