One in Four US Adults Are Caregivers, Study Finds
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iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Do you regularly help a loved one take their medication on schedule? Or visit a loved one to see how they’re doing? If so, you’re not alone.
A new study by the Pew Research Center finds that one in four Americans is now a caregiver.
“We found that 39 percent of U.S. adults now are taking care of a child with significant health issues or an adult that needs help. And that’s up from 30 percent just two years ago in 2010,” says Susannah Fox, an associate director at the Pew Research Center.
Fox says most caregivers are between the ages of 30 and 64 but there are quite a number of them who are younger.
“We do see that about a third of people in their 20s report being a caregiver,” she says.
She adds that caregivers in general are more likely than others to look for health information online.
“Caregivers are among the most wired group. They are very likely to have a mobile device and they’re very likely to be using it for all sorts of things,” Fox says.
As for what they’re looking for: “They’re very interested in information about drugs and medical facilities. They are trying to get up to speed fast on what is often a very complex medical issue,” she says.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio