A new study reveals that the number of family members providing care for older adults—either at home or in residential care settings—has increased significantly in recent years. Between 2011 and 2022, the number of unpaid caregivers grew by 32%, rising from 18.2 million to 24.1 million.
The study, published in Health Affairs, also found that the amount of time caregivers spend assisting older adults with dementia has increased dramatically. On average, caregivers provided 31 hours of care per week in 2022, up from 21.4 hours per week in 2011—a nearly 50% increase.
Why Is Unpaid Caregiving Increasing?
Researchers are not entirely sure why more people are taking on caregiving responsibilities, but they suspect it may be linked to changes in living arrangements. More caregivers now live with the older adults they assist, which may contribute to the rise in caregiving hours.
The study analyzed data from two national surveys—the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC)—which collect information about aging adults and their caregivers.
These surveys track older adults who need help with self-care, mobility, or household tasks due to health conditions, as well as the family members and unpaid caregivers who assist them.
Who Are the Caregivers?
The study found that 88% of unpaid caregivers in 2022 were family members, while 12% were non-relatives such as friends or neighbors.
Compared to caregivers in 2011, those in 2022 were generally:
- Younger
- More educated
- More likely to be male
Despite these demographic shifts, caregiving remains heavily dominated by women. The study also found that caregivers for people with dementia, as well as those with limited financial resources, face greater challenges and are at a higher risk of negative health and financial consequences.
How Caregiving Has Changed Over Time
Interestingly, despite the rise in caregiving responsibilities, the overall care network size (the number of people helping an individual) for older adults with dementia remained the same between 2011 and 2022.
Caregivers also did not report significant increases in caregiving difficulty or work-life conflicts, even though they had less outside help and fewer support group options than before.
The Need for Better Caregiver Support
With the number of adults aged 85 and older expected to triple by 2050, the study highlights the urgent need for better policies and support systems for family caregivers.
According to lead researcher Jennifer Wolff from Johns Hopkins University, the growing number of caregivers is not necessarily leading to a crisis, as some policymakers have suggested. However, she emphasized that certain groups—especially those caring for individuals with dementia—face significant challenges and need targeted support.
Some policy solutions that could help include:
- Paid family leave policies at the state level to allow caregivers to take time off work
- Medicaid waivers to fund in-home and community-based care
- Medicare hospice benefits to cover end-of-life care expenses
“Family caregivers are essential to our healthcare system,” Wolff said. “Moving forward, we need to understand and support their needs so they can continue providing critical care for millions of older adults.”
As the aging population grows, ensuring better financial, emotional, and policy support for caregivers will be crucial in maintaining a sustainable care system.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and Coconut oil could help improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s.
The research findings can be found in Health Affairs.
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