This is What the Challenging Life of a Millennial Caregiver Looks Like

Family caregivers provide essential, often unpaid work in the U.S.: they help family members with tasks like bathing and eating, coordinating insurance coverage and managing medications. But what a caregiver looks like in America is changing. Although the typical unpaid family caregiver is a 49-year-old white woman, about 10 million Americans between ages 18 and 34, of all different backgrounds, are now the caregivers for a family member or friend, according to a new report by AARP. One out of four family caregivers in the U.S. is a millennial. And as Baby Boomers age and need more support, this young group is becoming an increasingly important part of the caregiving workforce. More than half of millennial caregivers are now people of color, according to the report, and they are more likely than any other generation to balance caregiving with employment. The report, which draws on data from the 2015 Caregiving in the U.S. study by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, found that 27% of millennial caregivers are Hispanic, while 18% are black and 8% are Asian American/Pacific Islanders. Less than half (44%) are white — yet two-thirds of older caregivers are white. Nearly three quarters of millennial caregivers are employed, according to the new report, and 53% work full time. They also spend an average of 21 hours per week on caregiving, or the equivalent of a part time job. More than one in four millennials spends over 20 hours each week providing care, and ro...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Aging Baby Boomers caregiving Retirement Source Type: news