The population of unpaid family caregivers is shifting, and the pandemic has accelerated that change. One in five carers became caregivers for the first time during the pandemic, according to the Embracing Carers Global Carer Well Being Index®. A disproportionate share of these new carers were Gen Z or millennial (less than 38 years old). And 25 percent were caring for children and a sick/aging parent or grandparent.

While we were in the teeth of the pandemic late last year, the Embracing Carers Global Carer Well Being Index® surveyed more than 9,000 unpaid family caregivers across 12 nations. The Index identified many areas where longstanding challenges associated with caregiving have been exacerbated by the pandemic. But it also identified new areas that require public policy, public health attention, and focus.

The pandemic has created a new generation of family caregivers. Younger people—in their 20s, 30s, and 40s—have by necessity become caregivers for chronically ill family members and/or aging parents. This new generation of caregivers has new expectations—of employers, of government, and of communities—informed by their sensibilities and experience.

However, “new” caregivers are not necessarily younger. Because of the aging of populations in many countries due to demographics and dramatic improvements in health care that extends lifespans, a larger proportion of the population is, or will soon become, unpaid family caregivers.

As the demand for new caregivers has risen, so have the pressures they face. Competing family needs during the pandemic, financial stress, and employment strain are taking a mental toll on carers. Most caregivers (76 percent) globally say the stress of caregiving during the pandemic has made them feel more stressed out than ever before and over 80 percent of first-time carers report higher levels of stress than ever.

A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reinforced the Index’s findings. Among “parent-caregivers” (parents of small children who also take care of an adult), approximately 85 percent experienced one or more adverse mental health symptoms during the pandemic. And approximately half reported serious suicidal ideation in the past month.

However, with the explosion of first-time caregivers and the growing proportion that are “parent-caregivers” comes an opportunity and a responsibility to get it right or at least do better. How can employers, governments, and societies adapt and respond so that this newest cohort of caregivers is better prepared and supported than others have been?

The Path Forward

What solutions has the pandemic suggested? What innovations could be implemented that can help address the challenges of unpaid caring? Possibilities include:

• Subsidized mental health services and respite care. The Index found that 23 percent of caregivers said the biggest challenge they have faced during the pandemic is the inability to take a break.

• Improved access to peer-to-peer support networks. Although 76 percent of caregivers surveyed said that connecting with other carers going through similar situations always makes them feel better, only 17 percent talked to other carers (online, in-person, or over the phone) to improve their emotional/mental health during the pandemic.

• Guidance on how best to utilize telehealth and mobile health care solutions. Globally, 68 percent of caregivers said they need additional guidance/training on how to use telehealth, online tools and/or mobile apps.

Unpaid caregivers have been and will always be an essential support system for aging societies. But governments generally do little or nothing at all to support them, a sentiment reflected in the Carer Wellbeing Index® data: More than half of caregivers (57 percent) globally believe they need more support from government, while 94 percent of caregivers agree that their important role is not widely recognized by society. We should systemically support them in a global pandemic and beyond. To this end, the International Alliance of Carer Organizations just released an 18 country Global State of Caring report that includes specific, country-by-country recommendations to better support this vital, but largely unrecognized workforce. This report is intended for governments and international public health organizations to galvanize sustained investment in carers.

We should also look at employer practices, both in the United States and globally. What policies have been implemented to support new caregivers? Family and medical leave to support caring for sick, aging, and/or disabled adults and to take time for self-care is a place to start. But employers should also recognize the value unpaid caregivers bring to them as employees. Caregivers are often credited for being resilient and flexible employees. Their experience as caregivers will inform their work and bring another layer of diversity to their workforce. Employers should consider developing management training and enabling peer-to-peer support in order to achieve a culture of caring where we accommodate, retain, and promote caregivers.

It is time to recognize that most of us are likely, at some point in our lives, to become unpaid family caregivers. How foolish we would be if we failed to stop and take advantage of this clear call-to-action moment that has grown out of the pandemic. Let’s build on what we have learned, seek guidance from carers on what is needed, and work to build a better future for all caregivers.