Caregiving is a major part of life in the United States. A quarter of our population (63 million) is providing this care. The caregiving population has increased 45% over the past ten years, from 18% in 2015 to 24% in 2025. Half of the recipients of this care are over age 75. A quarter of caregiving (27%) is for Alzheimer’s or dementia. 40% of caregivers are male, and males are more challenged than women. The stress of caregiving is substantial, with 40% of caregivers dying before their patients. The best reference is: Caregiving in the US: A Research Report, https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/caregiving-in-the-us-2025/.
Professor Barrett is uniquely qualified to discuss the behavior seen in patients with dementia. He graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 2005 and, after a neurology residency, spent three years in a fellowship at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. He sees patients at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
Governor Schreiber has given close to 1,000 talks on caregiving. His wife’s twenty-year course is cataloged in his book, My Two Elaines. His book is exceptional in including his wife’s perspective as a patient with Alzheimer’s disease. He self-published the book in three editions before discovering his wife’s diary. The fourth edition, with her descriptions, was picked up by Harper Row Publishers. The book is being used in programs that teach caregiving.
It must be admitted that physicians are not knowledgeable about caregiving. Nurses, mothers, and social workers are the experts in this complex and difficult topic. AARP has wonderful resources on caregiving. Paul Wynn, who suggested that NaCCRA present this topic, has written five articles on caregiving over the past six months.
The focus of this talk will be on caregiving for Alzheimer’s and the special difficulty that men in particular have in providing this care for their wives and other family members.