Watch Caregiving

A production of Lea Pictures and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark media, Caregiving is a documentary and digital engagement campaign that will reveal the vital impact of the caregiver’s role on the family, in the workplace, and the country’s economy. 

Caregiving

Caregiving will tell the story of caregiving through lived experience, expert opinions, thought leaders, practitioners, and loved ones. From coping with basic medical care, housing, nutrition and transportation, to seeking resources, dealing with family dynamics, mental health, work productivity, and long-term financial planning, the solutions are complicated and multi-faceted. As the number of caregivers is declining, and the number of individuals requiring care in our country increases, the challenges grow. Caregivers require differing types and levels of support. At times, the burdens of caregiving can seem unbearable, regardless of resources. The “needs gap” for information may be greater for caregivers than it is for care recipients. The film will explore these issues and shine a light on innovation for the 21st century caregiving. Stream now on WellBeings.org, the PBS App and PBS.org.

The Numbers Behind the Issues

• According to a recent Rand Report, it is estimated that between 53 million to 105.6 million U.S. adults provide unpaid caregiving for family and friends.  
• An estimated 5.4 million children and adolescents in the U.S. are direct caregivers for family members. 
• There are five million paid caregivers nationally in the U.S., as of 2023. 
• The value of the care provided by unpaid family caregivers across the U.S. was $600 billion in 2021, according to a 2023 AARP report.
• Median annual earnings for direct care workers in the U.S. are $23,688.13, as of a 2023 report.

“A majority of Americans cannot afford to take care of their families. They see it as their responsibility, and often their failure. To get by, they cobble together solutions, even quitting their jobs to look after a loved one – a newborn, a parent, a friend, or an in-law. Things are getting worse as baby boomers age into their 70s. We are facing a social crisis as America’s piecemeal and expensive care infrastructure, created a half century ago, has reached a breaking point.”

AI-JEN POO & DR. BENJAMIN W. VEGHTE Architects of Universal Family Care, New York Times

Caregiving is a production of Lea Pictures and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark media. Chris Durrance serves as Director for Ark media. Barak Goodman is Series Producer, Chris Durrance is Senior Producer and Ruth Fertig is Producer for Ark media. Executive Producers for Lea Pictures are Bradley Cooper and Weston Middleton. Executive Producers for WETA are John F. Wilson and Tom Chiodo. Producer for WETA is Kate Kelly. Production is managed for WETA by Jim Corbley.

Generous support for Caregiving is made possible by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.; Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation; Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation; Care.com; and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Support for the engagement and outreach for Caregiving is made possible by the John A. Hartford Foundation.

Caregiving will air on PBS & WellBeings.org in 2025.