Millennial Family Caregivers More Likely to Care for Someone with a Mental or Emotional Health Issue, AARP Report Finds
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. 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.
“Caregiving responsibilities can have an impact on the futures of younger family caregivers, who are at a particular time in their lives when pivotal social and professional networks are being formed,” said Jean Accius, PhD, Vice President, AARP Public Policy Institute. “We must consider the unique needs of millennial family caregivers and ensure that they are included in programs and have the support they need to care for themselves as well as their loved ones.”
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.
More than one-in-four (27 percent) millennial caregivers are Hispanic/Latino, or 38 percent of all family caregivers among Hispanic/Latinos.
Nearly one-in-five (18 percent) are African-American/Black, or 34 percent of all African-American/Black family caregivers.
Eight percent are Asian American/Pacific Islander, or 30 percent of all the AAPI family caregivers.
Less than half (44 percent) are white, or 17 percent of all white family caregivers.
Twelve percent self-identify as LGBT, which makes them the largest portion of LGBT family caregivers (34 percent) than any other generation.
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.
