• According to information published at Family Caregiver Alliance, 65% of older persons with long-term care needs rely exclusively on family and friends to provide assistance, and another 30% will supplement family care with assistance from paid providers.
• A recent report, Families Caring for an Aging America, found that “17.7 million individuals in the United States are family caregivers of someone age 65 and older who has a significant impairment,” often at their own expense and with little to no training or medical background.
• The American Medical Association describes the role of a caregiver as a potential “occupational hazard;” caregivers face incredible stress and are at risk of burnout, fatigue, self-neglect, depression, and family conflicts.
