Recognizing and supporting family caregivers is crucial to the health and economic and social well-being of both the caregivers themselves and the people who receive their care. Family caregivers provide needed day-to-day supports and services and manage complex care tasks for adults with chronic, disabling, or serious health conditions. Research finds that over half of older adults (i.e., ages 65 and older) living in the community--living in their own home, the home of a family member or friend, or any other community-based living arrangement outside of a nursing home--have difficulty carrying out daily living activities (such as bathing, getting in and out of a chair, or using the bathroom) without assistance over their lifetimes. Most all older adults (95 percent) receive some help with these activities from their family or close friends, and almost two-thirds rely solely on these family caregivers. This report touches on the day-to-day experiences of family caregivers and highlights the economic value of unpaid family caregiving, which was an estimated $600 billion in 2021.
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