When a family caregiver stops going out to dinner, the restaurant feels it.
When she stops taking the weekend trip she used to look forward to, the hotel does. When the haircut and the gym membership and the small ordinary pleasures disappear, then her community absorbs that loss quietly, even if no one connects it back to caregiving.
For the past few years, I have been developing a theory: Unsupported family caregivers don’t just struggle internally. They pull back from their communities — economically, socially, in ways that ripple outward. The early data I have suggests this is exactly what happens.
In an initial survey, family caregivers told us that dining out, travel, entertainment, and personal spending all decreased significantly during their caregiving experience. Financial stress was high. Many tapped into savings or retirement funds. One wrote simply: “Savings?? What’s that.”
The other side of this is the argument for reimbursement: A family caregiver with resources invests those resources in her community. This isn’t only a moral argument. It’s an economic one.
A reporter asked to see data about the impact of your spending level. I need more responses to capture the total picture for her.
If your caregiving experience has changed how you spend money on yourself, in your community or both, please take five minutes to tell us about it. Please also share this post with family caregivers you know. The more responses we get, the more compelling our argument becomes.
Thank you!