Caregiving can be both rewarding and challenging. Here are five strategies to reduce stress, protect your well-being, and find support while caring for a loved one.

Ask for help. People want to help but often don’t know how. Clear requests—like picking up prescriptions or researching insurance coverage—makes it easier for others to step in.

Your health matters, too. You can’t pour from an empty cup—taking care of yourself helps you care for others.

Workplace flexibility can help. Flexible hours, remote work, or leave may make caregiving easier 

"There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers," said former First Lady Roselynn Carter. Her profound words are more relevant than ever before.

Caregiving now touches nearly every American family. Approximately 63 million US adults serve as caregivers—a figure that has grown nearly 50% since 2015.¹ Despite its value, caregiving remains largely unpaid and frequently unsupported. This can put strain on caregivers and their families as they navigate their finances and health.

This article highlights five strategies designed to help caregivers manage their responsibilities and, possibly, ease their burden.

Strategy #1: Acknowledge that you’re not alone—even if it feels like you are. 

Isolation continues to be one of the most common challenges caregivers face. Transamerica Institute’s recent survey found that nearly four in 10 workers (39%) are currently serving and/or have served as a caregiver for a relative or friend during their career (excluding parenting responsibilities).² More than one in three caregiving workers (35%) indicate their mental health declined as a result of becoming a caregiver.²

Caregiving is an “everybody” responsibility that is widely shared across socioeconomic and demographic groups. In our survey, women workers were more likely than men to identify as caregivers, but a significant number of men also fill this role. Specifically, 43% of women identified as caregivers compared with 35% of men.³

Looking across generations, Gen Z and Millennials (both 22%) were most likely to self-identify as caregivers followed by Gen X (19%) and Baby Boomers (12%).² Caregiving may feel like a labor of love that is deeply personal and unique, but it’s a shared societal experience. Taking small steps to connect with others can make a meaningful difference and ease loneliness.

Strategy #2: Treat self-care as a necessity, not a luxury. 

Caregiving burnout is very real. In one of our surveys, we found that more than three in 10 caregiving workers reported a decline in mental health, and two in 10 said their physical health declined as a result of becoming a caregiver.²  Many caregivers also experience anticipatory grief and  emotional strain when illness disrupts everyday life.⁴

Self-care doesn’t have to be perfect, time-consuming, or costly. It starts with the basics:

• Getting enough sleep. Aim for a consistent bedtime and wake time, even on busy days. If your sleep throughout the night is disrupted, taking a short nap or quiet rest periods during the day can help you recover.
• Eating nutritious meals. Choose balanced meals with protein, fruits, and vegetables. Meal planning and keeping easy, healthy options on hand can help on days when cooking feels overwhelming.
• Exercising regularly. Movement doesn’t have to mean going to the gym. A 15-minute walk, light stretching, or chair exercises can boost your energy and mood.
• Managing stress. Try small stress relievers like deep breathing, journaling, or listening to music. Even five minutes of managing stress can help your body and mind relax.

Seeking medical care and mental health support when needed is not a sign of weakness—it is a vital part of caregiving sustainability.

Strategy #3: Ask for help—and share the responsibility. 

Caregiving is a family matter—so, when possible, it should be a shared responsibility rather than falling mostly on one person. 

That can be easier said than done, especially if family members are living in different places across the country. In those cases, the family member who lives closest to the care recipient may take on more than the others. 

However, everyone can pitch in. Caregiving often involves a lot of time researching insurance, health providers, and other matters online—which can be done from anywhere. While the local caregiver may be spending more time in person with the care recipient, others can pitch in by doing research, scheduling appointments, managing paperwork, and coordinating services. 

Seeking help also includes asking for breaks. If you’re the in-person caregiver and starting to get run down, ask another family member to step in and cover for you so you can take time to recharge. Most people want to help—they just don’t always know how step in without direct instructions. 

Strategy #4: Learn what caregiver support your employer may offer.

Many employers now recognize they play an important role in supporting caregivers. They may offer flexible schedules, hybrid work arrangements, and even remote work arrangements that can make it easier for employees to manage their responsibilities on the home front. Additionally, employers are stepping up by offering resources such as employee assistance programs and referrals and discounts for backup care. Larger employers, in particular, are more likely to offer these types of support.

Strategy #5: Prepare ahead by understanding insurance, finances, and legal plans. 

The reality is that insurance coverages, such as health insurance as well as long-term care insurance, can be quite complicated. Details about what is covered, the extent to which the costs of services are covered, and providers who are in network can be hard to pin down. It’s far easier to gain at least a general understanding in advance—versus trying to do so on the fly when your loved one needs care.

Our research also finds that relatively few people aged 50 and older have established legal documents, such as a financial power of attorney or health care power of attorney, that designates individuals who can act on their behalf if they are incapacitated or unable to do so.⁵ Having these documents in place can significantly ease the caregiving burden when it matters most. 

Take the First Step

Taking care of someone else starts with taking care of yourself. Choose just one small step from this article—whether it’s asking for help, going to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual, or checking what support your employer offers—and try it this week. Small change add up, and you deserve support just as much as the person or people you care for.

Where to learn more:

• National Family Caregiver Support Program - Resources, services, and respite support for family caregivers.
• The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - Job-protected leave for eligible workers.
• Medicare & Medicaid - Health coverage and long-term care support options.

1. AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving. Caregiving in the US 2025. July 24, 2025
   https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/caregiving-in-the-us-2025
2. Transamerica Center For Retirement Studies. An Uncertain Future: Retirement Prospects of 4 Generations. Transamerica Institute. June 2025. pp. 26, 96, 97. https://www.transamericainstitute.org/docs/research/generations-age/uncertain-future-retirement-prospects-four-generations-survey-report-june-2025.pdf?sfvrsn=1d68df40_7
3. Transamerica Center For Retirement Studies. 25 Facts About Women’s Retirement Outlook. Transamerica Institute. November 2025. p. 23. https://www.transamericainstitute.org/docs/research/gender-lgbtq/25-facts-women-retirement-survey-report-2025.pdf?sfvrsn=69efaae8_3
4. Svop, Kristina, Karin Bruckstedt Dieperink, Trish Livingston, and Jette Marcussen. “Families’ Experience of Anticipatory Grief in Home-Based Palliative Cancer Care and Their Support Needs: A Qualitative Study.” European Journal of Oncology Nursing, June 2025, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1462388925001048.
5. Transamerica Center For Retirement Studies. Retirement Realities: The Experience of Retirees. Transamerica Institute. December 2025. p. 68. https://www.transamericainstitute.org/docs/research/retirees/retirement-realities-retiree-experience-survey-report-2025.pdf?sfvrsn=31115630_12