Facts
*
One quarter of Americans over the age of 55, approximately 16 million people, struggle with daily activities as simple as
shopping.
* Nearly one-half of those
who have difficulty receive no help from family or other sources
* Twenty percent of those who need caregiving help are either between ages 18 and 64 or
are disabled children.
* One-fourth of all adults reported caring for a disabled family member in the past year.
* If the work of unpaid volunteer caregivers
were replaced by paid home care providers, estimates indicated this could cost $196 billion.
* 50% of all care giving in the US is given for free by friends,
family and volunteers
* 70% of all Alzheimer's
patients are cared for at home.
* Nationally there are 1.3 million children between the ages of 8 and 18 who are a caregiver for an ill or disabled
parents or grandparent. In ¼ of these homes, there is no other person to depend
upon.
