Nearly 1 in 4 adults are caregivers, up 45% from the number of caregivers in the United States in 2015.
That means there are 63 million adults struggling to care for their sick or disabled loved ones, often leading to financial, physical and emotional strain.
While care advocates, nonprofits and government entities are building out programs to help caregivers, access to care help depends on where you live, according to newly released data jointly published by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving.
"These state-by-state disparities expose how policy choices determine whether families thrive or collapse under caregiving responsibilities," Jason Resendez, the alliance's president and CEO, said in a press release. "When financial strain hits 59% of family caregivers in Georgia compared to just 34% in Minnesota − meaning where you live can double your risk of economic hardship − it's clear that patchwork state solutions aren't enough."
AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving are calling on state and federal lawmakers to address the growing crisis.
