Shining a Spotlight on Youth and Young Adult Caregivers in a Global Aging Population

Care delivery systems around the world overwhelmingly rely on family caregivers to meet the care needs of persons with impaired physical and cognitive function. Family caregivers provide assistance with personal care activities of daily living (e.g., bathing, eating), instrumental activities of daily living (e.g., shopping, managing bills), and emotional support. They also commonly assist with a range of medical-nursing tasks and care coordination [1]. The preponderance of research to understand and address the consequences of caregiving-related demands has focused on caregivers who are working-age or older who are providing care routinely to individuals who are sick, disabled, or elderly (i.e., not typical parental responsibilities).