Families Caring for an Aging America

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 Older Adults Who Need Caregiving and the Family Caregivers Who Help Them 3 Family Caregiving Roles and Impacts 4 Economic Impact of Family Caregiving 5 Programs and Supports for Family Caregivers of Older Adults 6 Family Caregivers' Interactions with Health Care and Long-Term Services and Supports 7 Recommendations to Support Family Caregivers of Older Adults Appendix A: Acronyms and Glossary Appendix B: Committee and Staff Biographies Appendix C: Public Workshop Agendas Appendix D: Number of Years and Percentage of Adult Life Spent Caring for an Older Adult Appendix E: Methodology: NHATS and NSOC Surveys Appendix F: Caregiving: The Odyssey of Becoming More Human Appendix G: Caregiving Stories Appendix H: HIPAA and Caregivers' Access to Information