Why Should I Care About Care?
![Why Should I Care About Care?]()
Care for our children, care for an elderly parent, or care for a disabled loved one, or care for ourselves so we can age with dignity in our own homes: the need for care is exploding.
Care for our children, care for an elderly parent, or care for a disabled loved one, or care for ourselves so we can age with dignity in our own homes: the need for care is exploding.
We need a solid care infrastructure for a thriving economy.
Read Why What is Care?The inaugural gathering to honor care workers.
Event Info Care Workers SummitBusting myths and laying out the facts about care.
See the Facts Facts & MythsStories of care workers from supporters like you.
Add Your Story Wall of Stories[Graphic – Caregiver/Aide – Nurse – Childcare Provider]
Care work is work done in service of others. Care work can be paid or unpaid labor that is performed everyday by family caregivers, home health aides, in-home caregivers, personal care assistants, direct support professionals, nannies, childhood educators, teachers, nurses and more.
Interested in learning more? See the Facts & Myths about Care
Caregivers nurture children, allow parents to work throughout the day and provide crucial assistance to those who are aging and differently-abled. Caregivers ensure our nation’s most vulnerable — seniors, people with disabilities, and children — can live safely at home. Care work is, and has always been, essential to the strength of our economy. It is the work that makes all other work possible.
Do you feel care is essential in your life? Add to our wall of care, and see our collection of care stories.
By 2040, the number of people 65 and older will nearly double, and the number of adults 85 and older will nearly quadruple. To meet the rising demand for care, the U.S. will need to fill over 4.4 million home care job openings over the next few years. That’s more new jobs than any other occupation in the U.S, but care work isn’t valued the way it should be: wages are extremely low, conditions are often bad, and exploitation is too common.
[INFOGRAPHIC – POLICIES, RESOURCES, SERVICES]
That means the policies, resources, and services necessary to help U.S. families meet their caregiving needs. In the U.S., we often associate “infrastructure” with physical infrastructure — such as roads, bridges, and utilities – families need to get to work and live their lives. Care infrastructure is the same: without it, our families are unable to work, survive and thrive.
America is facing a care crisis where many of us can’t access the care we depend on. That’s’ why NDWA, together with our partners, is leading the fight to ensure our government makes the investments, passes the policies and gives us the supports we need because #CareCan’tWait.