Caregiving
Pew: 4 in 10 full-time working women who help an aging parent say it has hurt their emotional well-being
A new Pew Research Center analysis finds women who care for an aging parent while working full time report far more strain than men do, and most family caregivers support tax credits and paid breaks.
Key facts
- Pew says 28% of women and 23% of men with a parent or spouse 65+ consider themselves caregivers.
- Among full-time workers helping a parent, 40% of women and 22% of men say it hurt their emotional well-being.
- Most caregivers favor tax credits (77%) and paid short-term breaks (73%).
What happened
Pew Research Center published an analysis on October 22 looking at how work and family caregiving overlap across life. It draws on a survey of U.S. adults conducted in September 2025. Among adults with a parent, spouse or partner age 65 or older, 28% of women and 23% of men said they are a caregiver for that person.
The strain falls unevenly. Among full-time workers who regularly help an aging parent, 40% of women said it has had a negative effect on their emotional well-being, compared with 22% of men. Thirty-six percent of women and 22% of men said it hurt their finances, and 20% of women versus 9% of men said it hurt their physical health. At the same time, majorities of both men and women said caring for a parent has had a positive effect on their relationship with that parent.
Caregivers broadly backed government help. Among those caring for an aging parent, spouse or partner, 77% favored tax credits to help pay for caregiving, 73% favored paying for short-term care so family caregivers can take a break, 67% favored requiring employers to offer paid family leave and 66% favored direct payments to help with caregiving costs.
What it means for families
The numbers put figures on what many families already feel: helping a parent can be rewarding and draining at the same time, and the person carrying most of it is often a working daughter. Short breaks, known as respite care, were among the most popular ideas in the survey, and they already exist in many communities. Using them early can keep one caregiver from burning out.
Picture a woman who leaves work, drives to her mother's house to set up the week's pills, then takes work calls from the driveway. Sharing tasks with siblings, asking her employer about leave, and booking a few days of respite each month could make the arrangement last much longer.
What this means in New York: New York Paid Family Leave can cover time off to care for a family member with a serious health condition, and county Offices for the Aging and NY Connects (1-800-342-9871) can point caregivers to respite options.
What to do this week
- Write down what you do for your parent each week and ask siblings or relatives to take specific tasks.
- Ask your employer's HR team about family leave and flexible schedules before you hit a crisis.
- Call NY Connects or your county Office for the Aging to ask what respite care is available near you.
Sources
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