Unpaid caregivers form an essential but underrecognized workforce, sustaining families, healthcare systems, workplaces, and communities. Sandwich caregivers—those supporting both children and adults—carry responsibilities that influence multiple generations and levers of the economy and care systems simultaneously.

A new article published in The Journal of Health Affairs, co-authored by SSRS Executive Vice President Kristen Purcell, reviews current evidence on caregiving prevalence, mental health impacts, economic implications, and system-level approaches to improving support.

National data from SSRS/ARCHANGELS, RAND, and CDC demonstrate both the scale of caregiving in the United States and the heightened mental-health risks experienced by sandwich caregivers, including active suicidal ideation.