Most of us have someone in our lives who has needed care—a parent recovering from surgery, a grandparent aging in place, a child with special needs, or a friend navigating a chronic illness. Caregiving is a shared experience that spans generations and communities. In the United States, more than 63 million people—or 1 in 4 adults—provide unpaid care to someone who needs help due to age, illness, or disability.

Caregiving requires time, energy, and financial sacrifice. Many caregivers take on health care tasks, coordinate appointments, provide transportation, manage household duties, and offer emotional support, all without formal training or compensation. Over time, the weight of caregiving can lead to burnout, stress, and even serious health issues.

In my work at NORC, I’ve seen how geography, access to services, and financial strain can affect the caregiving experience. Rural caregivers, for example, often travel longer distances and have access to fewer services and support than caregivers in other areas. I’ve also led NORC research that explores the complex intersection of aging, transportation, and caregiving. Whether it’s getting to medical appointments, picking up prescriptions, or staying socially engaged, transportation plays a vital role in supporting both caregivers and loved ones.

Our research shows that caregivers’ needs—for respite, mental health care, financial relief, and simpler ways to access help—are not luxuries but essentials. As researchers, we must center caregiver voices and ensure that our findings reflect their experiences. NORC uses rigorous research approaches to understand what caregivers need most. The answer is clear: respite care, mental health support, financial assistance, and easier access to resources.

Caregivers consistently report the need for a break from their caregiving responsibilities. Respite care allows caregivers to step away without guilt or fear, knowing their loved one is safe and cared for during a break. Yet access to respite services remains limited, especially for caregivers in rural areas or those caring for individuals with complex needs. Respite care is viewed as a “nice to have” rather than an essential service to promote caregiver health and well-being. NORC’s research shows that respite care is one of the most requested but least available supports.

Caregiving can be isolating and emotionally draining. Many caregivers experience depression, anxiety, and chronic stress, but few caregivers receive services or support tailored to their needs. I led a NORC study exploring the needs of older adults and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that caregivers often feel invisible in the health care system—expected to manage medications, coordinate appointments, provide transportation, balance household needs, and endure day-to-day struggles without emotional support.

With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the CDC Foundation, NORC subject matter experts and methodologists designed and evaluated the How Right Now campaign to promote emotional well-being and resilience among people disproportionately impacted by mental health challenges—including caregivers—by offering coping strategies, resources, and connections. 

NORC’s Dignity & Respect Study offered further evidence of this emotional toll, especially among African American caregivers navigating hospice and palliative care. The study revealed communication gaps and cultural barriers that left caregivers feeling unheard and unsupported during very difficult moments of caregiving.

From lost wages to out-of-pocket expenses that add up quickly, caregiving can be financially devastating. A 2018 poll conducted by The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 8 in 10 caregivers pay caregiving costs—medical and health care expenses, transportation, personal care supplies, and other costs—out of their own pockets, and 13 percent spend upwards of $500 per month.

Caregivers told us they need direct financial support, not just tax credits or reimbursement programs. NORC’s data show that caregivers often sacrifice their own economic security to provide care, and many face long-term financial consequences.

Even when help exists, caregivers struggle to find it. They need centralized, easy-to-navigate platforms that connect them to services, benefits, and peer support. NORC has mapped these pathways and identified where caregivers get stuck—whether due to language barriers, digital access, or other challenges. For example, we created a tool called Search Find Help, which connects older adults and their caregivers to over 300 programs and resources that can help them.

We also developed the Interactive Fall Prevention Planning Tool, which helps caregivers assess risk and plan for safety among older adults. Both projects, developed with the CDC Foundation, offer a model for how digital tools can empower caregivers with actionable information.

Technology is becoming an increasingly important support for caregivers. Findings from NORC’s recent Spotlight on Health, “Caregiving in the Digital Age,” found that almost half of unpaid caregivers use at least one type of technology to help manage their responsibilities. Usage is higher among caregivers age 45 and older and among those providing six or more hours of care each week.

What kinds of tools are people turning to? Caregivers are increasingly using medication management tools, care coordination platforms, and telemedicine, with emerging AI technologies also beginning to play a role in supporting care. Technology is not a perfect solution. Caregivers shared real barriers, including privacy concerns, a lack of time to learn new tools, and whether the person they care for is even willing to use technology.

These insights point to an important research opportunity: identifying affordable, user-friendly, and secure technology solutions that fit caregivers’ day-to-day lives. That includes everyone from young adults driving grandparents to appointments, to those in the “sandwich generation” juggling support for both their kids and aging parents, to those caring for people with disabilities. When designed with caregivers in mind, technology has the potential to make caregiving a little easier for everyone involved.

Our research shows caregivers need access to respite care, mental health support, financial relief, and easier access to resources. Technology can help, but it is only part of the solution. Three actions stand out as opportunities for researchers and practitioners:

1. Conduct research that reflects caregivers’ realities across different contexts. Research needs to capture the wide range of caregiving experiences, including those living in rural communities, in multigenerational households, or with people with disabilities.
2. Examine policies to understand their impact on caregivers. By focusing on how they affect caregivers’ financial, emotional, and practical well‑being, we can identify gaps and opportunities for meaningful change.
3. Generate insights that inform practical, scalable solutions for caregivers. Potential solutions could include improving caregivers’ access to resources, reducing their financial strain, or supporting their mental well-being.

When research centers caregivers’ experiences, it strengthens not only their well‑being, but the health and resilience of families and communities