Caregiving & Aging

Hope’s Heroes

More than 41 million Americans serve as family caregivers, maybe even you.

Honoring Caregivers of All Generations

Family caregivers represent all ages, backgrounds, and cultures and serve as unsung heroes in the lives of older loved ones. They deserve recognition for everything they balance in their lives. Their stories also inspire conversations about what people want for their own aging experience. We celebrated family caregivers through Hope’s Heroes: Honoring Caregivers of All Generations, a float at the 2020 Rose Parade® presented by Honda. Missed the parade? A video below shows a highlight of our float participation.

 

Join us to honor a caregiver you know on social media by sharing your story of #aging and #caregiving.

Get to know our riders!

These caregiver heroes rode on our Rose Parade float. Their stories inspire conversations about caregiving and what people want for their own aging experience.

MILLENNIAL

Meet Aisha

Aisha, 35, quit a job to care for her mom, and raises awareness about the needs of caregivers in underserved communities.

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GENERATION Z

Meet Cooper

Cooper, 14, cared for his older neighbor, Mary, since elementary school and learned how to play cards along the way!

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MILLENNIAL

Meet Craig

Craig, 31, runs the family pharmacy while caring for his father and being a doting husband and active dad.

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BABY BOOMERS

Meet Jerry & Judy

Jerry and Judy, both 68, are dedicated to each other and caregiving while managing the family farm in Wisconsin.

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GENERATION X

Meet Claudia

Claudia, 49, has cared for her mom, Consuelo, for 33 years and is appreciative of the work flexibility her employer offers.

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GENERATION X | SPANISH

Conoce a Claudia

Claudia, de 49 años, ha cuidado a su madre, Consuelo, durante 33 años y aprecia la flexibilidad laboral que ofrece su empleador.

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BABY BOOMER

Meet Laura

Laura, 59, helped care for her mother for 12 years, and is the first female dean of USC’s Keck School of Medicine.

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SILENT GENERATION

Meet Emilia

Emilia, 88, has lived in her East LA home for 63 years. As an only child, she took care of her parents while raising her own family.

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Personal Stories

These stories of everyday people doing extraordinary things to care for loved ones show all the ways they support families and society. It also helps us think about how we want to age. 

“As I grow older, I hope that there will be a system in place that will not make it difficult for my daughter to care for myself and my husband.”

– Donna Benton, PhD Research Associate Professor USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology

Recognize heroes in your life!

Honoring family caregivers at the Rose Parade was just the start. Learn about everyday heroes in your community from our caregiver story bank.

Celebrate a caregiver you know on social media by sharing your story of #HopesHeroes.

Check out a caregiving PSA by General Hospital and a helpful list of resources for family caregivers.

Watch the PSA

Millennial Caregiving

Do you help out with a loved one’s care?

You’re not alone.

Of America’s 41 million caregivers, 10 million are millennials. In fact, one out of three provide care to an older friend or relative—while pursuing educational goals, career advancement, relationships, and social connections. Another third of millennials believe they will provide this kind of support in the next five years.

Family spending afternoon
1 out of 5 millennials stall academic goals due to caregiving.

“Millennials play a much bigger role caregiving in the lives of older adults than probably any generation before them, and they don’t get any credit for that.”

– Bruce Chernof, MD President and CEO The SCAN Foundation

For as long as I could remember, she was my rock. Now I’m hers.

It’s time to recast the “me-first” image with the more accurate role millennials serve as family caregivers. Show your support for millennial caregivers, become informed, and share your story using #YouGiveACare.

“When I learned that there are so many other millennial caregivers, I was just blown away because when I first started sharing my dad’s story, I felt like I had no one to relate to. I “give a care” for my dad by sharing his story every chance I get.”

– Lisette Carbajal Richmond, Va.