EPS 13 Celebrating the Caregiver :: C. Grace Whiting

There are 44 million unpaid elder caregivers in the U.S. and 75% are employed. Today's guest, C. Grace Whiting, the President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), works to increase public awareness of family caregiving issues. NAC recognizes that family caregivers provide important societal and financial contributions toward maintaining the well-being of those in their care.

Core Challenges for a Caregiver include:

Anxiety for the future, worrying constantly “what’s next” • Balancing attention between Debbie and her own family • Understanding of the situation when she isn’t there • Figuring out what to expect in the future • Making sure her mother is safe • Keeping her relationship in tact with her mother • Making work a priority • Remembering to take care of herself.

The direct costs to American society of caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in 2017 totaled more than $259 billion. In 2017, Medicare and Medicaid spent an estimated $175 billion — 67 percent of total costs — caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. This is largely a result of the high cost of care in the last five years of life, with the average totaling more than $287,000 (in 2010 dollars). By comparison, the last five years of life for a person with heart disease or cancer costs on average $175,000 and $173,000, respectively.

NAC is a nonprofit think tank based in Washington, DC, focused on improving the quality of life for family caregivers and those in their care through research, advocacy, and innovation. To find out more about NAC go to www.caregiving.org.

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