Market note: 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.
Packing a parent's medication envelopes, double-checking the next doctor's appointment, tossing through the night and waking before dawn — a caregiver's days stack up just like that, with hardly a moment to pause and ask what kind of weather has settled over your own heart. Today, the numbers speak first. Would you take a moment to hear the story you may have been quietly looking away from?
🇺🇸 U.S. According to a report released in 2025 by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, roughly 1 in 4 American adults — approximately 63 million people — are family caregivers. That is nearly 50% more than a decade ago. Among them, three-quarters say they experience stress and anxiety at least once a month, and more than 7 in 10 report feeling overwhelmed. 67% struggle with sleep, and 47% say their physical health has declined since they began caregiving.
🇺🇸 U.S. Depression is no exception. About 36% of family caregivers said they have experienced depression since becoming a caregiver — a rate higher than the general population's diagnosis rate for depression. 1 in 5 rate their own health as fair or poor, and nearly 1 in 4 say they find it difficult to take care of themselves. Perhaps the most painful finding is that 1 in 4 caregivers want help but are afraid to ask for it.
🇰🇷 Korea The picture in Korea is similar. In a survey conducted by the 보건복지부 (Ministry of Health and Welfare) and the 국립정신건강센터 (National Center for Mental Health) between September 2023 and April 2024, 61.7% of family members caring for people with mental illness said the caregiving burden was heavy. The same survey found that the demand for services among family caregivers was actually higher than among the individuals receiving care — a stark indicator of just how exhausted caregivers themselves have become. The same holds true in elder care. Anxiety and depression among caregivers are not confined to families dealing with a specific illness; they are a reality that can come for anyone as caregiving stretches on.
So what can we actually do? The first step is to acknowledge your right to receive help. 🇺🇸 U.S. In the United States, the federal ACL (Administration for Community Living) provides caregivers with access to respite care, counseling, and educational support. AARP's Family Caregiver Resource Guides allow you to search directly for local services in your state. AARP data showing that more than 1 in 3 caregivers want respite care yet only 14% actually use it is a reminder of just how much access to information matters.
🇰🇷 Korea In Korea, the 노인장기요양보험 (Long-Term Care Insurance for the Elderly) system includes day and night care as well as short-term care services, designed to give caregivers a moment to catch their breath. There is also the 가족요양제도 (family caregiver benefit program), through which family members who hold a 요양보호사 (care worker) qualification and directly care for an elder with a long-term care grade can receive 가족요양급여 (family caregiving benefits). The 전국 건강가정지원센터 (National Healthy Family Support Centers) and 가족센터 (Family Centers) across the country also offer family counseling services, so reaching out to a nearby center is well worth considering.
Finally, a caregiver's mental health is directly tied to the quality of care the older adult receives. Holding on while exhausted, for a long time, is not a virtue. Noticing the overcast weather in your heart today — that itself is already a courageous first step. You need to be okay first, so that you can care even better for the older adult by your side.
Sources: AARP · National Alliance for Caregiving, Caregiving in the U.S. 2025 report; American Psychiatric Association (APA) blog, Supporting the Mental Health of Family Caregivers (2025); SeniorLiving.org, Family Caregiver Annual Report and Statistics (2025); AARP Public Policy Institute, Respite Services: A Critical Support for Family Caregivers (2024); 보건복지부·국립정신건강센터, 정신질환자 및 가족지원 서비스 확충을 위한 실태조사 결과 (2024); 노인장기요양보험 관련 제도 안내 (국민건강보험공단).
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.