Edited and reprinted with permission from the National Alliance for Caregiving
As the nation celebrates Black History Month, Council on Aging and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) recognize the significant contributions of African American caregivers. According to the NAC and AARP’s Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 report, African American caregivers often find their caregiving role purposeful, taking pride in taking care of their family members and loved ones.
This spirit of dedicated caregiving shines through in the story of Rachelle and Anna, whose experience mirrors those of other family caregivers who work tirelessly to keep promises and honor their loved one’s wishes. Below are a couple of facts on the “typical” African American caregiver, highlighting some of the challenges they face.
- Higher Time Commitment – African American caregivers provide over 31 hours of care per week, significantly more than the national average of 23.7 hours.
- Greater Financial Strain – 57% of African American caregivers report moderate to high financial strain due to caregiving, compared to 45% of all caregivers.
- More Multigenerational Care – 34% of African American caregivers support multiple people, often balancing care for both older relatives and children.
Read Rachelle and Anna’s caregiving story and NAC’s African American Caregiver Factsheet for deeper insights.