A health poll of Ohio adults finds that more than half of them provided unpaid care for an older relative in the past year.
The poll by the HealthPath Foundation of Ohio found that as older adults are living longer, more of them are relying on the support of family members so they can stay in their homes.
Sixty-one percent of Ohioans ages 46 to 64 were more likely the ones who provided the care. Men and women were equally likely to have been the caregiver for their loved one. Seventy-five percent of the caregivers provided help to a parent or parent-in-law, or to another relative such as a spouse, sibling, grandparent, aunt or uncle.
They ran errands, prepared meals or provided transportation. The majority of the caregivers also juggled professional and family responsibilities to provide the unpaid care.
HealthPath Foundation of Ohio hopes the caregiver information can lead to better support for caregivers and safe environments for older adults.
