Seven of 10 caregivers are non-Hispanic whites, 13 percent are African-American and the majority are female. While men provide assistance, female caregivers spend more hours per week with their charges than men, which means they are more likely to assist with the most difficult caregiving tasks. Because nearly two-thirds of caregivers are estimated also to be employed full- or part-time and come from low-income or poverty-stricken households, caregiving is an enormous burden. It’s stressful, time-consuming, tiring, and in some cases, physically and emotionally debilitating.
In short, being happy and even staying healthy while being a caregiver is a monumental task. It’s all about stolen moments, meals on the fly, and the stress of setting and maintaining a schedule of care along with work commitments. Just one little snafu – traffic tie-ups, an unexpected medical issue or food that goes bad at a crucial moment – and the whole house of cards could collapse into chaos. That’s a heavy burden for anyone to bear.
The United States Census Bureau estimates that just less than 6 million grandparents live with grandchildren in their household, so it’s an issue that won’t go away, particularly as the Baby Boomers begin to age and develop physical needs. Caregiving is truly a lifetime sentence for some, and the psychological crush of realizing that many be more than some can handle.