From Hidden to Essential: Redefining America’s View of Family Caregivers
Family caregiving in America has never looked like this before.
Every day, in every community, people are stepping into roles they never expected—managing medications, arranging specialist visits, and shouldering the kind of complex care once handled only by medical professionals. And they’re doing it without fanfare, often without pay, and too often without the support they deserve.
Our latest Caregiving in the US 2025 data (with AARP) shows just how much this landscape has changed. 63 million Americans—nearly one in four adults—are now providing care to a family member, friend, or neighbor. That’s a 45% increase in just ten years, and it spans every demographic: all education levels, work statuses, generations, income levels, and every race and ethnicity.
We’ve expanded our research this year to capture a fuller picture; adding data on paid family caregivers, state-level representation, a new index to measure levels of care, and even a CDC tool to assess caregivers’ physical and emotional health. But the numbers alone don’t tell the full story. Behind every data point is a person, a family, a life that’s been fundamentally reshaped by caregiving.
Take Parvathy, a mother caring for a child with a rare disease. Her story illustrates what the data makes clear: caregiving can touch anyone, anywhere, at any stage of life. And every caregiving journey is unique, shaped by the medical needs of the person receiving care, the resources available, and the systems (or lack of systems) in place to help.
Beyond Data: The Power of Narrative Change
That’s why NAC is evolving how we work. Our research will remain a cornerstone, but it’s no longer enough to simply publish findings. We’re moving beyond storytelling—sharing individual experiences—to true narrative change: fundamentally reshaping how society views and values family caregivers.
Here’s the distinction: storytelling helps people understand what family caregivers go through. Narrative change transforms how we collectively think about family caregiving itself. Instead of seeing it as a private family matter, we’re working to establish a new cultural understanding: that family caregivers are essential infrastructure for our healthcare system and economy and supporting them is our shared societal duty. We share this vision with many partners and are committed to adding our unique research and voice to make it a reality.
Leveraging Data and Partnerships for Systemic Change
NAC will leverage our rich data on 63 million family caregivers and our deep partnerships within the caregiving community to drive this narrative transformation. We’re not just collecting stories—we’re using our research foundation and trusted relationships to systematically shift the national conversation around three core truths:
Family caregivers are the backbone of healthcare delivery. Whether through reduced healthcare costs, shortened hospital stays, or enabling care recipients to remain in their communities, family caregivers create value that touches every aspect of American healthcare. Our research and partnerships help us make this essential role visible and drive the systemic change needed to support these frontline workers.
Family caregivers are economic powerhouses. Our data shows that despite contributing an estimated $600 billion (AARP) in unpaid care annually—more than the entire GDP of many countries- nearly half of family caregivers experience negative financial impacts as a result. This isn’t charity work; it’s essential economic activity that keeps our healthcare system functioning and our economy running. We need to recognize, value, and address the economic spillover effects of caregiving.
Supporting caregivers strengthens everyone. When we build caregiver friendly communities that provide family caregivers with training, respite, and financial support, we’re not just helping individuals—we’re creating more resilient, sustainable care systems that benefit everyone.
From Credibility to Action
We know that data makes us credible, but stories make us memorable—and narrative change makes us unstoppable. We’ve refreshed our brand and our approach to reflect this evolution, ensuring the voices of family caregivers are front and center as we reshape public understanding of their essential role.
This is more than a new logo or website. It’s a strategic commitment to meet policymakers, partners, and the public where they are—whether that’s in a hearing room, a LinkedIn feed, or a kitchen table conversation. We’ll translate our research into shareable tools including infographics, videos, and compelling content that doesn’t just share individual stories, but advances our collective understanding of why family caregivers deserve—and require—societal support.
Because when 63 million Americans are providing care, this isn’t just their story—it’s a preview of what’s ahead for all of us. As our population ages and medical advances enable more people to live with complex conditions at home, family caregiving will only grow. We have a choice: continue treating it as an invisible, private responsibility, or recognize it as the essential infrastructure it already is. NAC is working to ensure we choose the latter, building a future where family caregivers are valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Download the Caregiving in the US 2025 Report.
