Family Medical Preparedness Statistics 2026

63 million Americans are family caregivers

24% of all U.S. adults—roughly 63 million people—are family caregivers.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

59 million caregivers support adults 18+

59 million caregivers report caring for adults ages 18 and older.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

61% of caregivers are women

Women account for 61% of all family caregivers.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

Average caregiver age is 51

The average family caregiver is 51 years old.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

24% support more than one care recipient

24% of family caregivers support more than one care recipient at a time.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

29% are in the sandwich generation

29% of family caregivers are sandwiched between caring for an adult and a child under 18.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

58% of caregivers manage medications

58% of caregivers help by giving medicines, pills, or injections.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

70% coordinate with health care providers

70% of caregivers monitor their care recipient's health and coordinate with providers.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

64% communicate with providers

64% of caregivers communicate directly with health care providers on behalf of their care recipient.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

42% find care coordination difficult

Only 58% of caregivers report that coordinating care with health professionals is easy—meaning 42% do not.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

One-third find coordination challenging

One-third of caregivers find care coordination challenging, continuing a downward trend from 2015.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

26% need help managing paperwork

26% of caregivers report needing help managing care-related paperwork.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

64% report emotional stress

64% of caregivers report moderate or high emotional stress from caregiving responsibilities.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

45% report physical strain

45% of caregivers report physical strain from caregiving responsibilities.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

24% feel alone in caregiving

24% of caregivers feel alone in their caregiving responsibilities.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

11% of care recipients live 1+ hour away

11% of care recipients live more than one hour from their primary caregiver; 75% live within 20 minutes.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

27 hours per week average caregiving

Caregivers spend an average of 27 hours per week providing care.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

24% provide full-time care hours

24% of caregivers provide more than 40 hours of care per week—equivalent to a full-time job.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

Only 11% receive caregiving training

Only 11% of caregivers report receiving training to assist with activities of daily living, instrumental activities, or behavioral management.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

70% included in hospital care discussions

Among caregivers whose care recipient had an overnight hospital stay in the past year, 70% were included in discussions about care.

AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025 · Source

31% of adults have advance directives

31% of U.S. adults say they have a living will or advance health care directive.

Pew Research Center, 2025 · Source

46% of adults 50–80 have ACP documents

46% of adults ages 50–80 report completing at least one advance care planning legal document.

National Poll on Healthy Aging, University of Michigan, 2020 · Source

Two-thirds lack complete ACP documentation

More than two-thirds of adults ages 50–80 have not completed both a durable power of attorney and an advance directive.

National Poll on Healthy Aging, University of Michigan, 2020 · Source

28.9% of older decedents had no ACP documents

28.9% of U.S. decedents ages 50 and older had no advance care planning documentation at end of life.

Health and Retirement Study analysis (medRxiv), 2026 · Source

5.2 average information systems per family

CareNestHQ estimates the average family caregiver manages 5.2 separate medical information systems for one aging parent.

CareNestHQ Documentation Readiness Index, 2026 · Source