DataPoint: Caregiver Characteristics

In a national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey of caregivers aged 45 and older from 2015 to 2017, 22.3 percent of adults reported providing care or assistance to a friend or family member within the past 30 days. In New York State, the figure was 23.5 percent. Caregivers, typically unpaid, provide care for friends or family members with health problems or disabilities and are essential to providing long term care in the homes of many older adults. One in three caregivers (31.3 percent) provided at least 20 hours of care per week, and over half (53.8 percent) provided care for at least 24 months. Additionally, 10.4 percent of caregivers reported providing care to loved ones with dementia or other cognitive disorders.

As the population of older adults is expected to grow, the need for additional caregivers is also expected to increase. There are currently seven potential family caregivers per older adult. By 2030, the number of potential family caregivers is estimated to decrease to four per older adult. Other estimates indicate that 17 percent of middle-aged and older adults who are not currently caregivers expect to provide care to friends or family members in the next two years.

To view the entire CDC caregiving report with additional data on caregiver health conditions and characteristics, click here.

Contact: Ken Allison, kallison@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8820