A Shrinking Population Leaves America Struggling to Care for Its Elders

As America faces a demographic crossroads with fewer children being born and more individuals living into old age, the nation’s caregiver pool is rapidly shrinking just as demand for elder care surges. Families like the Whites, who have selflessly cared for multiple aging relatives over decades, represent a disappearing breed in a society where professional caregivers are in short supply and multi-generational households are less common among many groups. The caregiving sector is stretched thin by workforce shortages, rising care costs, and immigration policy impacts, setting the stage for a crisis in how the country will support its oldest citizens at home and in care facilities. The emotional and financial burdens borne by family caregivers are intensifying, highlighting the urgent need for policies that bolster support networks in a landscape shaped by shifting population trends. More