Almost 42 million Americans serve as caregivers for relatives 50 or over.
The work is grueling and unpaid. As COVID continues, family caregivers — overwhelmingly women — say the burden is driving their vote.
The latest from @shefalil:https://bit.ly/2SANhW7
5/ The issue of caregiving has gotten little attention on the campaign trail. "Caregiving is hard to start with. But given isolation, [and the] inability to access services [because of quarantine], it's made it even more difficult," said one researcher.https://bit.ly/2SANhW7
-
-
6/ Already, people who are caring for others appear less likely to attend to their own health. And now, emerging research shows psychological consequences, too. According to one August report, two-thirds of unpaid caregivers for adults had at least one mental health condition.
Show this thread -
7/ Current data tracking mental health among caregivers doesn't account for race.
But systemic factors in terms of whom COVID most affects means Black and Latinx people in many ways face a heavier burden.
"There are these structural factors making it all that much harder."Show this thread -
8/8 Experts say the psychological and financial burdens on caregivers spotlights shortcomings in the nation's family caregiver infrastructure. For now, caregivers continue to navigate this moment on their own. A must-read from
@Shefalil:https://bit.ly/2SANhW7Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.