ABSTRACT
Estimates on caregiving in the United States show that roughly 14.3 percent of all American adults act as a caregiver to an adult aged 50 years or older. Gender norms continue to socialize women into caregiving and the normative expectation is that throughout life they will meet their associated role obligations. However, for many, these obligations become challenges. As part of a long-term care system, it can provide support to family caregivers, which can enable them to continue caregiving for longer periods of time. This chapter discusses two very large groups of caregivers, the majority of whom are women, are providing care without any substantial policies to support them. Particularly troubling is that even when such needs have been recognized through policies such as the National Family Caregiver Support Program or the Lifetime Respite Program, the policies remain severely underfunded, offering further evidence that caregiver support is not an urgent legislative priority.
