Facts About Caregivers and Work

More working people provide full- or part-time caregiver duties for a loved one than ever before. Here’s a look at some facts about this major life responsibility and the realities of the working world.

Facts About Caregivers

Two thirds of caregivers are women.

o Two-thirds are women.

o Studies show female caregivers are more likely than males to suffer from high stress  (35% vs. 25%).

o Family caregivers of those aged 50+ are themselves between 50 to 64.

o About 72% of caregivers are white, 13% African-American, 12% Hispanic, and 2% Asian-American.

o Studies show that 27% of Hispanics say their health is fair or poor compared to 15% of white caregivers and 15% of Asian-Americans.

Facts about Caregivers and Work

o 70% of working caregivers with families suffer work-related difficulties due to their dual roles.

o Among working caregivers, 69% rearrange their work schedule, decrease their hours or take an unpaid leave to meet their obligations.

Many workers rearrange their work schedule to fit in caregiver duties. . (Census Bureau photo)

o 5% of working caregivers turn down a promotion.

4% choose early retirement.

6% give up working entirely.

o Working women are more likely than males to have made alternative work arrangements: taking less demanding jobs (16% females vs. 6% males), quitting work entirely (12% vs. 3%), losing job-related benefits (7% females vs. males 3%).

o 70% made job changes: 12% reduced work hours, took a less demanding job. Nine percent gave up work entirely. Three percent retired early.

o One recent study shows women in caregiving roles during their working years were 2.5 times more likely to live in poverty when they became elderly.

o 20% of employed female care givers over 50 report symptoms of depression. This compares with 8% of their non-caregiving peers.

o Caregiving reduces work productivity by 18.5% and increases the likelihood of changing jobs.

Source: http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=439

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