Across the country, there are more than 5 million paid caregivers and more than 50 million unpaid folks who care for their family members and friends. Yet the US faces a crisis in caregiving that includes a shortage of paid workers to meet the growing need and unpaid caregivers are feeling burned out. A recent PBS documentary, screened at UW-Madison, explores the challenges and joys of this work.

To talk about caregiving, aging, and community support, host Douglas Haynes is joined by four guests, Dr. Sue Wenker and Dr. Jennifer Timm from the UW Madison Center of Interprofessional Practice and Education and Jennifer Fischer and Kayla Olson from the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Dane County.

They talk about the rapidly aging US population and the time, resources, and skills needed to care for them. Care work occurs across the life spectrum, and now the “sandwich generation” is feeling the pressure of caring for young children and their aging parents. The guests recommend caregivers find respite whether they are are paid or unpaid and whether they identify as caregivers or not. They discuss the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers and share resources for families, like ADRC’s list of questions to ask someone you’re looking to hire to be a caregiver and the Healthy Aging Initiative. 

Jennifer Fischer is the manager of the Aging and Disability Resource Center.

Kayla Olson is a Dementia Care Specialist at the Dane County Aging and Disability Resource Center. 

Dr. Jennifer Timm is the director of the Center for Interpersonal Practice and Education.

Dr. Sue Wenker is a researcher and co-coordinator of the Healthy Aging Initiative.

Featured image of a person standing behind a wheelchair via rawpixel.

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