Women as Caregivers

The typical caregiver is an employed 46 year old women who is married and working outside of the home earning an annual income of $35,000 a year. (1.)

Women make up 61 percent of our nation’s caregivers. Fifty-nine percent of these women work outside their home. These multiple roles are responsible for much of the stress in women’s lives today.(2.)

For centuries women have been the primary caregivers for long-term care, and today women still bear the responsibilities of caring for their parents or loved ones. They are much more likely to be caregivers than men, making up 7 out of 10 unpaid caregivers. (3.)

Caring for an aged parent has become especially burdensome for older women who are a greater part of the workforce than ever before. Also, women tend to use up their own assets to pay for the care of their impaired family member, which then makes it difficult for them to pay for the cost of long-term care if the need arises.