More than 60 million families—more than one in five Americans—experience daily limitations caring for a dependent child or adult, according to the 2020 AARP/NAC study. In the five years since 2015, this number has increased by 9.5 million, and nearly 48 million of these caregivers care for someone over the age of 18. The economic value of these unpaid contributions in 2017 was more than $470 billion, up from $375 billion in 2007. On average, caregivers spend 23.7 hours a week providing care, with one in three (32%) providing care for 21 hours or more, and one in five (21%) providing care for 41+ hours—the equivalent of a full-time unpaid job.

The cost is far greater than dollars. Working caregivers are more susceptible to poor health, eating disorders, substance abuse, and sleep maladies. These lead to reduced energy, chronic fatigue, and mood swings. Caregivers are also more likely to develop conditions such as heart disease and autoimmune diseases. Nearly a quarter (23%) of caregivers find it hard to take care of their own health and 23% say caregiving has made their health worse.

Caregivers often experience diminished concentration, withdrawal, and clinical depression. In the workplace, caregivers tend to be less productive and pass up promotions due to caregiving commitments. According to AARP/NAC’s 2015 study, 61% of caregivers experience at least one change in their employment due to caregiving responsibilities. Many will seek part-time instead of full-time responsibilities, and according to Harvard’s 2019 Caring Company research, 32% of people will leave the workforce for family caregiving responsibilities.

GIS HealthCare (GISHC) provides effective and actionable solutions for caregivers of those in all life stages. Our unique services are available through a web platform that encompasses caregiving segmented by eight life stages, health and wellness resources for the caregiver, and The Caregiver’s Guide to Self-Care, which includes caregiver stories, self-care recommendations, and resources for the caregiver. These supportive resources help caregivers to identify signs of stress, and provide tools to manage their stress and avoid burnout. Our life stages include caregiving tools, Medicaid and Medicare guidelines, foster care information, statistics and guidelines, gerontology resources, searchable resources, and resources to make daily living easier. Caregivers can download important documents needed in times of illness, as well as forms to track medications and medical appointments, and to use to document health status. And for the pre-retirement, retirement, and sunset life states, GISHC provides links to federally rated nursing homes, physicians, dialysis centers, and cleaning services

GISHC also has available an optional One-on-One Assistance program for Financial Fraud and for Estate Settlement providing unlimited access to an experienced advisor by phone and email.