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Who are the caregivers looking over our loved ones?

Caring for older relatives is usually a task associated with Baby Boomers, the 50- and 60-somethings who find their aging parents need assistance. But almost a quarter of the adults who take care of older people — on top of their regular jobs and responsibilities — are between the ages of 18 and 34, according to research by the AARP Policy Institute and the National Alliance for Caregiving.

As millions of Americans are expected to live longer than they used to — often losing the ability to do so independently — their families and communities are grappling with how best way to take care of them. Kaiser Health News focused on the problem in a Dec. 2 webinar with advocates and policymakers. About 40 million Americans considered themselves caregivers in 2013, according to an AARP report, said Susan Reinhard, senior vice president at the AARP and one of the webinar’s panelists. Those people are typically women, and their median age is 49. The work they do caring for older relatives — usually parents and grandparents — was estimated that same year to be worth about $470 billion.

The study underlines the importance of having a plan in place.

As we live longer lives, it is up to each person to ensure they have
a plan on how they will handle those years. Discussions need to include topics of domicile, care givers, support with daily activities of living, financial and medical.

Need to start your conversation? Contact us to schedule a meeting.

Source: Kaiser Health News