Caregivers are people who provide care or assistance to someone who has a long-term illness, disability, or injury. 

Caregivers can be family members, friends, or paid helpers. Caregiving can be rewarding, but it can also be challenging and stressful². Caregivers may have different needs and concerns depending on the situation and the relationship they have with the person they care for.

A Portrait of Caregivers. Among all caregivers, the population is split almost evenly with slightly more women (53 percent) than men (47 percent).

Baby Boomers (37 percent) are more likely to be caregivers than Generation X (22 percent). Fifty-one percent are employed either full-time or part-time. Household income is $57,000 (estimated median). These findings are relatively consistent between Primary and Non-Primary caregivers.

The Majority of Caregivers Are Caring for a Family Member. 

Eighty-seven percent of all caregivers are caring for a family member, a finding which is higher among Primary (91 percent) compared to Non-Primary (79 percent) caregivers. Parents are the most frequently cited recipients of care among both Primary (34 percent) and Non-Primary (35 percent) caregivers.

Primary caregivers are more likely than Non-Primary caregivers to be caring for a spouse/partner (27 percent vs. 2 percent, respectively) or a child (13 percent vs. 6 percent, respectively).  
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Transamerica Study for Retirement Survey