Note on market coverage: This article draws on sources from both Korea and the United States. Each piece of information is labeled 🇰🇷 Korea or 🇺🇸 U.S. in the text to indicate which country it applies to.
When people first take on the care of an aging parent, many make a quiet promise to themselves: "I can handle this. I don't need to rely on anyone else." That resolve comes from a place of love and a deep sense of responsibility. But as time passes, the promise begins to press down on the caregiver in ways they never anticipated. Feeling as though asking for help is the same as giving up — this is an experience shared by countless caregivers.
🇺🇸 U.S. According to a 2025 survey of 1,029 family caregivers in the United States conducted by A Place for Mom, 78% of respondents said they had experienced burnout, and a significant number reported feeling it weekly or even daily. Stress and anxiety were reported by 87% of caregivers, with more than half experiencing these feelings at least once a week. Burnout is not simply passing fatigue — it leads to a complex, wide-ranging exhaustion that affects emotions, sleep, social relationships, and finances.
A large part of this exhaustion stems from the determination to manage everything alone. 🇺🇸 U.S. The National Institute on Aging (NIA, part of NIH) explains that caregivers often hesitate to ask for help because they fear becoming a burden to others, or because they don't want to admit they cannot do it all on their own. The NIA notes that many caregivers later reflect that they took on too much by themselves, and wish they had reached out to family and friends sooner. Asking for help is not a defeat — it is a choice that allows you to care for someone better, and for longer.
🇺🇸 U.S. The ARCH National Respite Network emphasizes that using respite care before a caregiver becomes exhausted and isolated is the most effective approach. Respite care is a service that gives the primary caregiver a temporary break — ranging from a few hours to several weeks — and is available in many forms, including in-home care, facility-based care, and adult day programs. 🇺🇸 U.S. According to the National Institute on Aging, starting with a small request is perfectly valid, and if asking in person feels difficult, reaching out by text or email first is an entirely reasonable way to begin.
🇰🇷 Korea In Korea, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 노인맞춤돌봄서비스 (Customized Care Services for Older Adults) provides direct care services to vulnerable seniors who have difficulty with daily living. Eligible recipients are adults aged 65 or older who are recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Security benefit, belong to the near-poverty tier (차상위계층), or receive the Basic Pension, and who face declining physical or cognitive function or are at risk of social isolation. Applications may be submitted by the older adult themselves, a family member (blood relatives within the 8th degree or relatives by marriage within the 4th degree), an interested party, or a service-providing organization. Applications are accepted at the 읍·면·동 행정복지센터 (community administrative welfare center) corresponding to the older adult's registered address. 🇰🇷 Korea Caregivers who are employed may also make use of the 가족돌봄휴가 (Family Care Leave) system. This allows up to 10 days per year of leave taken in single-day increments — on an unpaid basis — for reasons related to a parent's illness, accident, or old age. Employers who refuse to grant this leave may be subject to a fine of up to 5,000,000 won.
Learning to ask for help feels awkward and uncomfortable at first. But please remember: that first step is what protects you as a caregiver — and ultimately protects your parent as well. If you feel there is no one around to turn to, reaching out to formal programs and services is itself an act of courage. Shouldering everything alone is not proof of dedication. Sustainable caregiving is the true form of devotion.
Sources: A Place for Mom 2025 Caregiver Survey (conducted by Morning Light Strategy, September 2025); National Institute on Aging (NIH/NIA), "What Is Respite Care?" (updated January 2026); ARCH National Respite Network & Resource Center, "Resources for Caregivers"; Ministry of Health and Welfare, "2026 Customized Care Services for Older Adults Program Guide"; Ministry of Employment and Labor, "Family Care Leave Guide" (based on the Act on Equal Employment and Support for Work-Family Balance).
Note: This article was compiled by AI from the sources cited above. We strive for accuracy, but for decisions about your specific situation, please confirm the latest guidance from a professional or the relevant agency.