TL;DR
Turn your wind-down time into listening time
- Thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and originals
- Listen on your phone, tablet or Echo — also offline
- Cancel anytime
A University of Michigan study estimates that U.S. women provide seven years of care to older adults over their lifetimes, up from six years in 2011. Men’s estimate remained at four years, leaving a three-year gap in 2023; the study found no gender gap in time spent caring for a spouse or partner.
Women in the United States can expect to spend seven years of their lives caring for older family members or friends, compared with four years for men, according to a University of Michigan study published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. The estimates, based on data for 2023, show the lifetime gap widened from two years in 2011 to three years.
Researchers Vicki Freedman and Crystal Yee To Ng analyzed nearly 8,500 responses to the National Study of Caregiving alongside federal population data. They used a demographic method to estimate how many years adults aged 20 and older might spend providing care over a lifetime if current rates continued. The results measure estimated years of caregiving, not the number of hours each caregiver provides.
The gender difference varied by relationship. Women and men were each estimated to spend about 1.5 years caring for a spouse or partner. For other relationships, women’s estimated lifetime care was longer: by more than a year for parents, several months for grandparents, and more than a year for extended family and friends.
The researchers said the gap appeared across different kinds of assistance, including personal care, household tasks, transportation and medical tasks. Their analysis compares estimates for 2011 and 2023; it does not track the same individuals over their entire lives.
Who Provides Care Beyond Partners
The estimates indicate that the additional caregiving burden is concentrated in care for relatives and friends other than a spouse or partner. That distinction matters for households planning support: women may be more likely to spend years helping parents, grandparents, other relatives or friends, even as men and women contribute similar lifetime time to a partner’s care.
The study also comes as the number of family caregivers supporting U.S. adults aged 65 and older has grown. The report says that number rose from 18 million in 2011 to more than 24 million in recent years. The figures describe the scale of family caregiving, while the lifetime estimates show how that responsibility is distributed by gender. They do not establish why the gap exists or measure its effects on caregivers’ health, employment or finances.
elder care ergonomic support pillow
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Researchers Estimated Lifetime Care
Many earlier studies have measured caregiving over a short period, such as several months. The Michigan researchers instead combined survey responses across age groups with population data to estimate the number of years a person might provide care during their lifetime. The method offers a broader view than a snapshot, but its projections depend on the rates and patterns used in the calculation.
The study, titled Lifetime family caregiving for older U.S. adults by men and women, 2011 and 2023, was published in 2026 in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Its central comparison is between the 2011 and 2023 estimates: women’s figure increased from six to seven years, while men’s remained at four.
“Despite attention to the growing number of men taking on caregiving responsibilities, the gap in lifetime family caregiving has not closed between men and women in recent years.”
— Vicki Freedman, University of Michigan research professor and study co-author
What Could Change the Estimates
The estimates describe expected lifetime years if current caregiving rates hold into the future; they are not a forecast that accounts for every future change. The researchers said patterns could shift as family structures change, paid care becomes more or less available and affordable, and social norms affect who provides support.
The report also points to increasing numbers of older adults without close kin, which may increase the need for care outside immediate family networks. It does not quantify how much that need will grow, who will meet it, or whether it will widen the gender gap. The supplied study summary does not provide a breakdown of the estimates by income, race or region.
Care Needs and Family Support Ahead
The study does not announce a new policy or set out a specific follow-up milestone. Its results provide a baseline for examining how caregiving changes as the U.S. population ages and as family and paid-care arrangements develop.
Researchers say future patterns will depend on the availability and cost of paid care, changes in family networks and social expectations around caregiving. Further evidence will be needed to establish whether the gap grows, narrows or stays near the 2023 estimate of three years.
Key Questions
How many years of caregiving do women and men each expect to provide?
The study estimates seven lifetime years for women and four for men, based on 2023 rates for care of older adults.
Did the gender gap change between 2011 and 2023?
Yes. Women’s estimate rose from six years in 2011 to seven in 2023. Men’s estimate stayed at four years, so the gap grew from two years to three.
Is there a gap in care for spouses or partners?
The researchers estimated that women and men each spend about 1.5 years over their lifetimes caring for a spouse or partner.
What kinds of care did the study include?
The analysis covered assistance such as bathing or dressing, household tasks, rides and medical tasks, as well as care for relatives and friends.
Does the study predict that the gap will keep growing?
No. The estimates assume current rates continue. The researchers said future patterns may depend on family changes, paid-care availability and affordability, and social norms.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
