More millennials becoming family caregivers

Daughter taking care of mom. AARP PHOTO

WASHINGTON, DC— One-in-four of the nearly 40 million family caregivers in America is a millennial.

AARP’s latest report, “Millennials: The Emerging Generation of Family Caregivers,” spotlights the unique experiences and challenges this generation faces as more support a parent, grandparent, friend or neighbor with basic living and medical needs.

Millennials are defined as those born between 1980 and 1996. Data from the report is based primarily on the 2015 Caregiving in the U.S. study.

According to the report, millennials are more likely to care for someone with a mental health or emotional issue — 33 percent compared to 18 percent of older caregivers. Overall, mental health caregivers face higher emotional, physical, and financial strain.

Younger caregivers also face challenges in the workplace because they are less understood by supervisors and managers. On top of spending an average of more than 20 hours a week in their caregiving role, this generation of family caregivers is the most likely to be employed (73 percent). More than half say their caregiving role affected their work in a significant way, says the report.

“The myth that millennials are self-involved is a stereotype that makes it challenging for millennial caregivers to get the recognition and help they need,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy.

“When the responsibilities of caring for family falls on its younger members, it impacts them at a pivotal point in their lives when personal relationships and professional networks are being formed,” Kwok added.

According to the report, most millennial caregivers (65 percent) care for a parent or grandparent and more than half are the only one in the family providing this support. Millennials are also the most diverse group of family caregivers to date.

• About eight percent of millennial family caregivers are AAPI, but they make up about three-in-ten (30 percent) of all AAPI caregivers.
• The majority (64 percent) of AAPI millennial family caregivers are women.
• AAPI millennial family caregivers are more likely to be a “higher hour” caregiver (providing care more than 20 hours a week) than the average millennial caregiver, 31 percent compared to 26 percent.

To read the full report, visit: https://www.aarp.org/ppi/info-2018/millennial-family-caregiving.html 

Visit www.aarp.org/caregiving for more resources and information on family caregiving, including AARP’s Prepare to Care Guides.