More than 65 million people, 29% of the U.S. population, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year.
~ US Dept. of Health and Social Services

One in four families in Polk County is caregiving a loved one.
~Area Agency on Aging

Polk County has an estimated 23,438 family caregivers for those age 60 and over.
~ Area Agency on Aging

Polk County has 3,800 family caregivers of children.
~ Florida Dept. of Disabilities, 2008

There are 10,000 grandparents in Polk County raising grandchildren.
~Florida Center for Kinship Care.

80% of family caregivers care for someone in their home without social services program or professional or medical homecare assistance.
~ National Family Caregivers Association, National Alzheimer's Association, National Alliance for Caregiving

Family caregivers suffer a shortened life expectancy, losing on average 8 years of life span because of the extra burden to their own health.
~ National Family Caregivers Association

Family Caregivers spend on average 20 hours a week caring for a loved one.
~ AARP; National Alliance for Caregiving,

Alzheimer's caregivers spend on average of 63 hours a week caring for an Alzheimer's loved one.
~ National Alzheimer's Association

Elderly spousal caregivers have a 63% higher mortality rate.
~National Family Caregivers Association

Family caregivers have nearly twice the rate of heart attacks as non-caregivers.
~ National Family Caregivers Association

Family caregivers have diminished immune systems leading to higher risk of cancer.
~ National Family Caregivers Association

Women who spend 9 hours a week as a family caregiver giving double their risk of heart disease
~ National Family Caregivers Association

Men now make up 44% of the family caregiving population.
~ National Family Caregivers Association

The value of the services family caregivers provide for "free" is estimated to be $306 billion a year
~ American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry

The stress of family caregiving impacts a person's immune system for 3 years after their caregiving ends, increasing the chances of developing a chronic illness themselves.
~Proceedings of the National Academy of Science

Three quarters (73%) of family caregivers don't go to the doctor as often as they should.
~ National Alliance for Caregiving and Evercare.

55% of family caregivers skip doctor appointments for themselves.
~ National Alliance for Caregiving and Evercare.

63% of family caregivers report poorer eating habits than non-caregivers.
~ National Alliance for Caregiving and Evercare.

58% of family caregivers indicate worse exercise habits than before caregiving responsibilities.
~National Alliance for Caregiving and Evercare

More than 65% of caregivers are still in the workforce.
~ AARP, 2006

Ten per cent (10%) of family caregivers are forced to leave employment because of their caregiving duties,
~ National Association of Family Caregivers; National Alliance of Caregiving; AARP

Significant trends in the current slacking economy show that 20% of working caregivers have no medical insurance benefits.
~ USA Today

American businesses lose $34 billion each year due to employees' need to care for loved ones 50 years of age and older.
~National Alliance for Caregiving/Met Life Study

40% to 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression with approximately a quarter to half of these caregivers meeting the criteria for major depression.
~ Zarit, S.,Assessment of Family Caregivers: A Research Perspective

Caregivers encounter decreased financial expectations of approximately $8,000 per year, missed career promotions, additional unpaid leave time away from employment and exacerbated dysfunctional family issues such as increased incidents of divorces, substance abuse, family violence and mental depression.
~ National Association of Family Caregivers; National Alliance of Caregiving; AARP