The impact of caregiving on caregivers' health

The negative impact is extreme and well documented.

The good news?  Research shows that this harmful impact can be reduced when caregivers take better care of themselves.

Note from Marie:

The research is unequivocal: caregiving can take a serious toll on our physical and emotional health. So much so, that medical professionals refer to caregivers as “the invisible second patient.” If you’re like most caregivers, you might dismiss this fact, thinking to yourself: “once I get over this hurdle, I’ll do something to take care of myself.” Guess what? The research also shows that we don’t, and we pay the price in terms of our mental and physical health. Lastly, it shows that when we do pause to care for ourselves, it can make a real difference.

The purpose of this page is to share some not-so-fun facts about the impact of caregiving, both mental and physical. My hope is that seeing these statistics might validate your experiences and prompt you to ask yourself: how might I tweak my day to find a little more ease? I hope you’ll give yourself the gift of experimenting until you find tools that work. 

As you scroll down, you’ll find headlines, followed by more nuanced findings and, at the bottom, hyperlinks to the sources I used to write this page. If you have questions or comments, please reach out. I’d love to hear from you.

There are 65 million family caregivers in the U.S.A.

Studies show caregiving has worsened their health.

50%

reported having more stress

40%

showed clinical signs of depression

23%

said it negatively impacted their physical health

44%

experience loneliness (twice the U.S. avg. of 20%)

55%

experienced burnout

A window into the research: the impact of caregiving on caregivers’:

Impact on mental health

  1. Overall mental health

    Only 23% of family caregivers reported having “good” mental health.


    37% of caregivers reported high levels of emotional stress, with anxiety and worry being the most common symptoms.

  2. Emotional Distress and Burnout

    50% of caregivers report feelings of guilt related to perceived inadequacies or inability to meet the care recipient’s needs.

    According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, burnout affects between 40-70% of caregivers, with many reporting increased feelings of resentment, frustration, and emotional withdrawal.

  3. The impact can last after caregiving has stopped

    41% of former caregivers of a spouse with Alzheimers or other forms of dementia experienced mild-to-severe depression up to three years after their spouse had died.


    Caregivers of patients with terminal illnesses, such as cancer, have shown a 15-25% prevalence of PTSD symptoms after the caregiving period, according to a study in Psychiatric Services.

Impact on physical health

  1. Chronic Health Conditions

    Caregivers are twice as likely to develop chronic health conditions such as coronary heart disease or hypertension, according to a study in the Journal of Aging and Health.

  2. Weakened Immune System

    A study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that caregivers had 15% lower immune function and slower wound healing compared to non-caregivers, making them more susceptible to infections and illnesses.

  3. Poor Sleep and Fatigue

    76% of caregivers report experiencing poor sleep quality or sleep disturbances.

    Chronic sleep deprivation leads to increased fatigue, reduced cognitive performance, and higher risks of cardiovascular disease.

Cognitive impact

  1. Older caregivers, especially those over 65, are at 50% higher risk of cognitive decline, according to a study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia.

  2. Prolonged exposure to the chronic stress often caused by caregiving leads to structural changes in the brain, contributing to cognitive dysfunction.

Social impact

  1. Over 50% of caregivers report feelings of social isolation and reduced engagement in social activities due to caregiving responsibilities.

  2. A study by the National Institute on Aging found that caregivers are 40% more likely to experience loneliness, which can exacerbate mental health challenges.

The good news: there are ways to reduce these negative effects

Support Groups & Counseling

Participation in therapy or caregiver support groups reduced caregivers’ depression by 40% and increased their emotional resilience

Self Care

Caregivers who took regular breaks were 30% less likely to experience caregiver burnout.

Utilizing respite care services reduced caregiver burden by 50% and significantly improved mental health outcomes

Education & Training

Caregivers who received training in how to manage care recipient needs reported a 25% reduction in stress and felt more empowered in their role