More U.S. workers now care for aging parents than for young children.
For the first time in U.S. history, more working adults are caring for aging parents than for young children. Nearly 23 million people in the workforce now provide eldercare, surpassing the 21 million caring for preschoolers. This shift, highlighted in a recent Harvard Business Review article, marks a major turning point for families, workplaces, and public policy.
With adults aged 65 and older now the fastest-growing age group in the country, caregiving responsibilities are increasingly falling on mid-career professionals, many of whom are at the height of their earnings and leadership roles.
Key takeaways:
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Eldercare now exceeds childcare among working adults, with 23 million workers caring for an aging parent.
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14% of the U.S. workforce are elder caregivers—and that number is growing quickly.
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Nearly half (45%) of these caregivers are between ages 45–64, often juggling career and family responsibilities at once.
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92% of surveyed elder caregivers say they want more support from their employers.
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Georgia and other states still have time to modernize “two-gen” workforce and family programs to include eldercare—not just childcare.
Read the article here.
