Families struggling to afford home care leading to more youth caregivers: nonprofit founder

Families struggling to afford costly at-home care alongside other skyrocketing expenses have pushed middle-school and high-school aged students to step in as unpaid caregivers for family members, a caregiving youth advocate told Fox News Digital.

"We are seeing more students, and one of the reasons is certainly the economy, because people who do not have disposable income cannot afford to hire help at home," said Connie Siskowski, founder and president of the American Association of Caregiving Youth. 

At-home healthcare costs have skyrocketed, rising 72% between December 2005 and March 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, child caregivers under 18 more than quadrupled from 1.3 million in 2005 to 5.3 million in 2020, according to a May 2020 report from the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons.

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"We had to convince people that this really was an issue, and so I think that we're reaching that point now," Siskowski said. 

Siskowski, whose organization provides services and support to child caregivers in school and at home, suspects the number is even higher today. Her Palm Beach County, Florida, program alone had a record-high 600 youth caregivers in 2023, excluding unidentified or ineligible caretakers, she said.

"A lot of our focus is helping the kids learn to manage stress and to reduce stress on them and their families so that they can learn," Siskowski said. "What we're trying to do is support them in that role so that they can feel valued and protected as much as possible."

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There were an estimated 5.4 million children under 18 providing care to family members aging or suffering from chronic illness, more than quadrupling from nearly 1.3 million in 2005, according to a May 2020 report from the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons. (iStock)

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Some young caregivers take over the cooking and cleaning of the house or may help feed and bathe family members suffering from chronic diseases or aging. One student caregiver Siskowski worked with, for example, had to manage 21 medications and give injections. 

These stresses associated with caregiving responsibilities could interfere with student engagement, cause increased feelings of isolation or sadness, or even lead some kids to drop out of school, she said.

"What happens when a child drops out of school? Their taxable income is reduced," Siskowski told Fox News Digital. "There's more crime, more disease, more teen pregnancy, and more ultimate system dependency." 

Nearly a quarter of high school student dropouts surveyed said they left to take care of a family member, according to a 2006 Civic Enterprises report conducting surveys and focus groups with people aged 16 to 25 in 25 U.S. locations. 

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Among the responsibilities of child caregivers, many have to manage medications and give injections to family members.  (Getty Images via iStock)

"No child in our country should have to drop out of school because of family caregiving," Siskowski said. 

Siskowski said costs have only increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, including soaring rent prices and a lack of affordable housing. She said caregiving expenses like adult diapers and over-the-counter medication have also risen.

The nonprofit head additionally said less at-home health care support and increased demand for care from an aging population with more complex medical conditions have strained families and led to more young caregivers.

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"I think some parity from the federal government and recognition would be really critical," Siskowski said. "We can do better. We must do better on behalf of this precious population."