1 in 4 Unpaid Caregivers in the US are Millennials

Capital Caring Health, a non-profit, offers tips for younger people caring for a family member, friend, or neighbor

Ten million unpaid caregivers in the United States are between the ages of 18 and 39, according to the AARP. That’s a quarter of all people who care for an older relative or friend. Often these millennial caregivers take on the task alone without support from caregiving organizations, while going to school or holding down a full- or part-time job.

Capital Caring Health, the Washington, D.C.-area’s leading non-profit provider of advanced illness, hospice, and at-home care services, wants millennials to know they are not alone. The organization offers a variety of professional health and social services that support family caregivers, as well as emotional support and grief counseling for those who just need to talk to someone.

The following are tips to support millennial caregivers and help them navigate their role:

  • Create an advance care plan and share it with the rest of the family and the medical care team to make sure the wishes and values of the person living with the serious illness are honored. This should be done in advance of any emergency.
  • Learn what services are covered by insurance. Capital Caring Health has staff and volunteers that can walk you through your relative’s or friend’s insurance plan free of charge to let you know what services they can offer.
  • Look after yourself. Your physical and mental strength is necessary to provide the care your relative or friend needs. Eat well, exercise and take time out of your day to do something that you enjoy. It could be as simple as Netflixing, reading a book or going to a trivia night.
  • Ask for help. According to a recent poll, 80 percent of younger people are stressed about caregiving. Capital Caring Health offers services and resources to help you handle life’s tasks that come with being a caregiver.

To learn more about Capital Caring Health’s services, enroll a relative or friend in one of their programs or to talk to someone for emotional support call our 24-Hour Care Line at 1-800-869-2136 or visit www.CapitalCaring.org.

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CONTACT: To arrange an interview with a millennial caregiver, contact Andrew Silva at 202-868-4803 or ASilva@MessagePartnersPR.com.

About Capital Caring Health

Capital Caring Health is the largest non-profit provider of elder health, advanced illness, hospice and at-home care services for the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. area. We provide quality care where people live, supporting dignified, independent aging. For more information, visit CapitalCaring.org or call our 24-Hour Care Line at 1-800-869-2136 to learn more.

Reach out to one of our care experts today.