Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

Support Family Caregivers during Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

The Rosalynn Carter Institute along with several caregiving support organizations recently urged government, community, and religious leaders to remember the challenges facing family caregivers as this public health crisis continues to unfold. The ongoing COVID19 pandemic has magnified what we've known all along - our institutions are not prepared to support family caregivers.


News provided by

National Alliance for Caregiving

Apr 17, 2020, 05:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX


WASHINGTON, April 17, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- We write to urge government, community and religious leaders to please remember the challenges facing family caregivers as this public health crisis continues to unfold. Unpaid family caregivers are the backbone of the health care system in the United States, providing as much as 90 percent of all home health care for no pay and at personal risk. Said differently, more than 44 million Americans (including more than 1.3 million caregiving youth) are providing unpaid care for loved ones across generations, including veterans, people with disabilities and battling chronic illness and elderly.

With an estimated 28 percent of caregivers also "sandwiched" between caring for an aging parent or older adult while raising children, millions of Americans face the pressures of staying healthy while often balancing the demands of work and school. It is also not lost on us that many unpaid family caregivers may now be unemployed as result of economic uncertainty created by this pandemic.

COVID-19 will also thrust many into caregiving roles for the first time, while also requiring existing caregivers to adapt how they carry out their caregiving responsibilities.

Post this

COVID-19 will also thrust many into caregiving roles for the first time, while also requiring existing caregivers to adapt how they carry out their caregiving responsibilities.

Understanding the role family caregivers of all ages play and the challenges they face will be key to effectively navigating this pandemic. We hope this understanding leads to support across public and private institutions nationwide.

How COVID-19 Amplifies Caregiving Challenges

Unpaid caregivers provide care in several ways:

  • Assisting with daily living tasks (e.g., eating, bathing)
  • Managing medications
  • Coordinating health care needs and appointments
  • Monitoring and managing personal finances
  • Providing emotional support

In short, family caregivers provide more than 30 billion hours of care annually. This amounts to more than $500 billion in opportunity cost each year, primarily in the form of forgone wages.

Caregiving is influenced by many variables such as the age and underlying conditions of the person receiving care, as well as the caregiver's individual circumstances. Some live with those for whom they care, others provide care from a distance. Many also work outside the home or attend school, and many must perform caregiving duties without access to paid leave from work or school. Each of these considerations can pose a variety of challenges for individual caregivers.

However, there are two commonalities:

  • First, by nature, caregiving is often dynamic and unpredictable. Many caregivers frequently navigate crisis with their loved ones.
  • Second, unpaid caregivers keep their loved ones at home, lessening the burden on outside care facilities.

COVID19 is amplifying the challenges and benefits of caregiving. We need to support caregivers of all ages navigate the unforeseen difficulties created by the pandemic, while recognizing the value in keeping loved ones home and not overburdening emergency rooms and hospitals. We also must think critically of how best to provide respite to family caregivers, especially as outlets needed for a break close (senior centers, hair salons, etc).

In addition to the mounting day-to-day challenges, the COVID19 pandemic amplifies the following:

  • School or work closures (including teleworking requirements) can amplify and complicate care responsibilities, particularly for sandwich generation caregivers and caregiving youth
  • Home health aides, already insufficient, may become unavailable, particularly as the pandemic both increases care needs and reduces availability of direct care workers and volunteers
  • Long-distance caregivers may not be able to travel to loved ones
  • Caregivers may not able to visit, monitor or coordinate care for loved ones living in facilities closed to access
  • Fewer people may be available to provide care as primary caregivers get sick from COVID-19 or other health issues
  • Access to necessities including prescription medications and food may become difficult or limited
  • Access to care

How to Support Caregivers During the COVID-19 Emergency

Research shows that family caregivers face increased risk for health, emotional, financial, and work-related problems. The following options, however, can help new and existing caregivers adapt:

  • Using telehealth options to connect with health care providers (for both caregivers and care recipients)
  • Using mail order to fill prescriptions and deliver medical supplies
  • Arranging grocery/pharmacy delivery
  • Connecting with online or telephone support groups
  • Creating closed groups on social media to stay in contact with fellow caregivers and/or members of support team

On an informal level, support caregivers you know by:

  • Checking in on your friends/relatives/neighbors who are caregivers and encourage them reach out
  • Asking if they need help and if they are ok
  • Volunteering to get groceries and supplies for those who are too vulnerable to shop
  • Observing social distancing to stop community spread

Sincerely, United Together:
American Association of Caregiving Youth
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center
Caregiver Action Network
Caring Across Generations
Elizabeth Dole Foundation
Family Caregiver Alliance
(HFC) Hilarity for Charity
National Alliance for Caregiving
Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving

SOURCE National Alliance for Caregiving

Modal title

National Alliance for Caregiving and Rosalynn Carter Institute Community Letter to Caregivers Regarding COVID-19
View PDF
National Alliance for Caregiving and Rosalynn Carter Institute Community Letter to Caregivers Regarding COVID-19
National Alliance for Caregiving and Rosalynn Carter Institute Community Letter to Caregivers Regarding COVID-19

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.