Non-Medical Home Care Facts
Between October 30 and November 3, 2003, the Harris organization conducted a broad research project. Its purpose was to measure America's experiences, attitudes, and issues related to providing assistance and care to seniors living independently. 2,231 US adults age 18+ were interviewed. The findings of the poll both confirmed and advanced existing data and statistics from many past research studies conducted in the 1990's that examined the increasing need for in-home senior care. It is the first such in-depth research undertaken on senior related issues since then.

Summary of Key Findings

• 36% of American adults either currently provide, or are likely to provide, companionship and/or assistance to a senior in the next five years. Yet 87% of adult caregivers have no outside help to provide care for their senior loved ones.
• Family involvement in homecare starts fairly early. One in five adults (21%) are 25-34 years of age compared with one in three (33%) being 45-54 years of age.
• A majority (75%) of those families currently providing senior care live within two hours of the senior's home, while 64% live within 30 minutes.
• Nearly half (47%) of adult caregivers spend 10 hours or less a week caring for an senior family member, but 34% spend 21 to over 100 hours a weeks in this capacity. Both statistics are over and above any assistance provided by hired caregivers.

Key Findings from Previous Seniorcare Studies

• The cost of uncompensated care giving services provided by family and friends ($257 billion) is more than 50 percent greater than the combined value of actual costs for nursing home and purchased homecare services ($124 billion). (Source: Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein School of Medicine)
• Family caregivers of people age 50 and older spend an average of 17.9 hours per week providing care. That figure increases to 20 hours per week among those providing care for individuals age 65 and older. (Source: Department of Health and Human Services)
• Nearly one of every four (25 percent) households in America is involved in caregiving to someone 50 or older. (Source: National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP)

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