Caregivers

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Adults caring for elderly parents, parents caring for children with special needs, family members and friends caring for veterans: Americans spend billions of hours each year providing emotional and physical support to their loved ones. RAND research explores the effects of caregiving duties on these individuals, how policy addresses their needs, and the broader social and economic impact of caregiving on people, communities, and organizations.

  • Woman working on a laptop with baby using a tablet in the foreground and older child at a table in the background, photo by recep-bg/Getty Images

    Commentary

    How the Coronavirus Changed the Childcare Debate

    Policymakers have long had evidence that childcare enables mothers to work. What the COVID-19 pandemic taught everyone is how the lack of childcare can be a disastrous constraint.

    Jul 26, 2021

  • Su Wilson visits her mother Chun Liu, a resident at the Life Care Center of Kirkland, a long-term care facility linked to several COVID-19 deaths in Kirkland, Washington, May 10, 2020, photo by Lindsey Wasson/Reuters

    Report

    Reimagining Policy Decisionmaking in Long-Term Care

    Policies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities were often mandated without input from residents and their family members, administrators, or staff. What can be done to make policy decisionmaking in these settings more inclusive?

    Oct 20, 2022

Explore Caregivers

  • working in office with computer and phone

    Research Brief

    Military Caregivers in the Workplace

    The business community can support military caregivers in many ways: raise awareness by promoting messages that support military caregivers, offer support services, work with employees to accomodate their caregiver duties, and hire caregivers.

    Mar 31, 2014

  • husband and wife with doctor

    Research Brief

    Supporting Military Caregivers: The Role of Health Providers

    Health care providers can support military caregivers in many ways: acknowledge them as part of the health care team, routinely assess caregiving needs and the presence of caregiver support, integrate them into health providers' culture, and adopt appropriate caregiver documentation requirements to facilitate their engagement.

    Mar 31, 2014

  • U.S. Capitol in spring

    Research Brief

    Supporting Military Caregivers: Options for Congress

    Congress can support military caregivers in many ways: reconsider eligibility requirements for caregiver support programs, ensure health care coverage for military caregivers, promote the integration and coordination of programs and services, and fully fund the Lifespan Respite Care Act.

    Mar 31, 2014

  • paper dolls in a circle

    Research Brief

    Support Resources for Military Caregivers

    Caregiving can take a lot of time and impose a heavy burden on caregiver health and well-being. But finding and utilizing support resources can help. Support services for military caregivers may provide respite care, financial stipends, health care and mental health care services, and more.

    Mar 31, 2014

  • soldier hugging friend

    Blog

    Spotlight on America's Hidden Heroes: Military Caregivers

    Despite military caregivers' vital contributions, little is known about their numbers, the burden of caregiving that they shoulder, or the resources that exist to support them. To shed light on these

    Mar 24, 2014

  • woman hugging soldier

    Project

    The RAND Military Caregivers Study

    The RAND Military Caregivers Study focuses on caregivers of wounded, ill, and injured U.S. military servicemembers and veterans.

    Mar 18, 2014

  • Senior man and adult daughter enjoying time together over lunch

    Journal Article

    Cost of Informal Caregiving for U.S. Elderly Is $522 Billion Annually

    The price tag for informal caregiving of elderly people by friends and relatives in the U.S. comes to $522 billion a year. Replacing that care with unskilled paid care at minimum wage would cost $221 billion, while replacing it with skilled nursing care would cost $642 billion.

    Jan 1, 2014

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Giving EMS Flexibility in Transporting Low-Acuity Patients Could Generate Substantial Medicare Savings

    If Medicare had the flexibility to reimburse EMS for managing selected 911 calls in ways other than transport to an ED, we estimate that the federal government could save $283–$560 million or more per year, while improving the continuity of patient care.

    Dec 1, 2013

  • A younger man helping an elderly man who is using a walker

    Solution

    Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

    Dementia is a chronic disease of aging that reduces cognitive function, leaving people unable to tend to even their most basic, everyday needs. A RAND-led research team developed the most precise estimate to date of the economic burden of the disease.

    Nov 20, 2013

  • a man in a wheelchair with his wife and caregiver

    Commentary

    They Also Serve: Understanding the Needs of Military Caregivers

    Military families play a critical role in supporting U.S. servicemembers during deployment and afterwards. Equally vital but often less visible is the role played by those who care for the servicemembers who return with disabling injuries or illnesses and require long-term support beyond what the formal health care system provides.

    Nov 18, 2013

  • an Indian doctor talking to a patient

    Journal Article

    Foreign-Educated Health Workers Play Vital Role, but Changes May Be Needed to Stabilize U.S. Health Workforce

    Foreign-educated and foreign-born health professionals fill important gaps in the U.S. health care workforce, but strategic shifts such as changes in immigration laws may be needed to stabilize the nation's health workforce.

    Nov 1, 2013

  • sad mother

    Report

    Maternal Depression: Implications for Systems Serving Mothers and Children

    Since women are almost twice as likely as men to experience depression and most women age 15 to 50 have children, maternal depression is an important issue. This report informs policymakers and practitioners of evidence connecting maternal depression and negative outcomes for both mother and child.

    Aug 12, 2013

  • magnifying glass and charts

    Brochure

    Evaluating Medicare Demonstration Projects

    RAND works closely with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to design, test, implement, and evaluate demonstration projects that span a wide range of care settings and issues.

    Jun 26, 2013

  • Couple reviewing finances with an advisor

    Commentary

    The Cost of Dementia: Who Will Pay?

    It is time for the government in partnership with industry to return to the drawing board to craft a plan that will provide protection for the more than 9 million people who will need care for dementia by 2040, writes Michael D. Hurd.

    May 1, 2013

  • Young woman and grandfather sitting hand in hand at table

    Commentary

    Dementia's Growing Cost to Caregivers

    At the rate that the U.S. population is aging, the total cost of dementia could reach half a trillion dollars a year by 2040. Those who care for impaired relatives and friends are acutely aware of the effects of dementia, and unfortunately they are all too familiar with its costs, writes Kathleen J. Mullen.

    Apr 29, 2013

  • an elderly couple, man possibly with dementia

    Journal Article

    Cost of Dementia Tops $159 Billion Annually in the United States

    The monetary cost of dementia in the United States ranges from $159 billion to $215 billion annually, making the disease more costly to the nation than either heart disease or cancer. The greatest cost is associated with providing institutional and home-based long-term care rather than medical services.

    Apr 1, 2013

  • Research Brief

    Research Brief

    Improving Cross-System Care for Parental Depression and Early Childhood Developmental Delays

    The Helping Families Raise Healthy Children initiative addressed depression among parents of children with early childhood developmental delays, aligning the early intervention and behavioral health systems with a focus on relationship-based care.

    Mar 19, 2013

  • Report

    Helping Families Raise Healthy Children

    Simultaneous developmental delays among young children and depression among parents can create serious challenges for many families. However, results from the Helping Families Raise Healthy Children initiative suggest that aligning early intervention and behavioral health systems can help.

    Mar 19, 2013

  • man in wheelchair with caregiver

    Commentary

    A National Strategy for Supporting Military Caregivers

    The act of caring for a veteran takes a physical, mental, and economic toll on caregivers and their families. Giving caregivers the skills and resources they need to cope and thrive should be as much a priority as giving veterans medical care.

    Mar 7, 2013

  • News Release

    News Release

    Military Caregivers Aid Injured Warriors, but Little Is Known About Their Needs

    Spouses, family members, and others who provide informal care to U.S. military members after they return home from conflict often toil long hours with little support, putting them at risk for physical, emotional, and financial harm.

    Mar 7, 2013

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