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by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Long-term care services and support typically come from:
- An unpaid caregiver who may be a family member or friend
- A nurse, home health or home care aide, and/or therapist who comes to the home
- Adult day services in the area
- A variety of long-term care facilities
A caregiver can be your family member, partner, friend or neighbor who helps care for you while you live at home. About 80 percent of care at home is provided by unpaid caregivers and may include an array of emotional, financial, nursing, social, homemaking, and other services. On average, caregivers spend 20 hours a week giving care. More than half (58 percent) have intensive caregiving responsibilities that may include assisting with a personal care activity, such as bathing or feeding.
Information on caregivers show that:
- About 65.7 million people in the US ( one in four adults ) were unpaid family caregivers to an adult or child in 2009
- About two-thirds are women
- Fourteen percent who care for older adults are themselves age 65 or more
- Most people can live at home for many years with help from unpaid family and friends, and from other paid community support