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November 21, 2024

By 2030, all Baby Boomers will have reached age 65, putting the over-65 population at 71 million, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. As the number of older adults grows, so will the need for more family caregivers.

But unlike recent decades, when there were seven potential family caregivers per adult, by 2030, this number will drop to four. With a growing need for family caregivers, plus a dwindling supply of people to take on these roles, the stage is set for a caregiver health crisis.

Caregiver health is a bourgeoning issue for the health care industry. And as so many caregivers are still in the workforce, often taking care of children as well, addressing caregiver mental well-being is also an important business imperative for companies.

Caregivers face unique health risks — higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress — which increase their odds of developing chronic diseases like heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. About one in 10 caregivers report their physical health got worse after they began caregiving, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Caregivers also often wind-up feeling burnt out and struggle with feelings of guilt when they do things for themselves instead of the person they are caring for. About 60 percent of caregivers say their eating and exercise habits are worse than they were before they began caregiving.

There are many positives to caregiving — taking care of a family member who needs you feels good. And it can be beneficial for the person being cared for to have these interactions with someone they love. That’s why, as a health care industry, our focus should be on removing the burdens caregivers face. What caregivers need more than anything is time to take care of themselves and support juggling the many responsibilities they have, such as work, childcare and more. Many caregivers put off their own health care and don’t seek mental health support when they need it, often because they lack the time to do so.

Caregivers often have to use their personal time off at work for caregiving responsibilities, and their added responsibilities at home make it more difficult to climb the ladder at work. This especially applies to caregivers of children with special needs who may be caring for their child for the rest of their lives. Not to mention, caregiving often comes with a financial burden, as some caregivers may have to stop working entirely.

At Florida Blue and Florida Blue Medicare, we are committed to supporting the whole-person health of caregivers of all ages, and we believe that there is no health without mental health. We have many programs to make it easier for our members and their caregivers to get the care and support they need to feel their best. At Florida Blue Medicare, we use our annual health risk assessment (a survey we give to members) to help determine what social determinants of health may be affecting our members so we can provide them with personalized resources and care that helps meet their needs.

Here are some resources and tools we offer to caregivers and their families:

Our Florida Blue Centers offer a range of support groups and events, including the Caregivers Connection support group at select Centers, starting in January. Or join the Caregivers Connection Facebook support group, an online community led by our Florida Blue Center Community Specialists to bring caregivers together, offer advice and support, as well as creating a forum for questions and answers. In addition, our Community Specialists are available to provide ongoing support, guidance, and encouragement either in person, by phone, or through virtual visits.

The FloridaBlue.com/Caregiver website features resources, caregiver stories, a video library with small steps to help support your mental well-being and resilience, a connection to our Center team for personalized support, plus a Family Caregiver Guide, which has valuable information and resources on caregiving to help:

  • Organize loved one’s information on conditions, medications, doctors, health and more
  • Keep track of important legal papers, like Power of Attorney documents and living wills
  • Take care of your health and mental well-being 
  • Have difficult conversations with loved ones (those you are caring for and other family members)

Visit the Caregiver Connections YouTube Playlist to view the Caregiver Connections: Taking care of YOU presentation by Debbie Del Rosario, LCSW, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Clinical Programs at Florida Blue. 

Overall, as a health care industry, we need to make sure we ensure caregivers get the support they need. And businesses should care for those employees who hold the dual roles of employee and caregiver. Caregivers serve a key role in our society that will only grow in importance as our population ages. Without caregivers, many older adults as well as children and adults with disabilities, could face a crisis of care.