Employment and financial experiences in millennial family caregivers

Millennial caregivers comprise 25% of the family caregiving population, and they have unique financial and employment challenges due to life stage and generational experiences. The purpose of this study is to understand financial and employment experiences of Millennial family caregivers.

This qualitative descriptive study uses secondary data obtained from two qualitative descriptive studies of Millennial family caregivers, one study focusing on the overall Millennial caregiver population and one focusing on the Latino population. For both studies, caregivers were recruited locally and nationally. Semi-structured interviews, open-ended responses from surveys, and focus groups were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Participants (N = 70) were predominantly women (71%, n = 50), White (59%, n = 41), and Latino (47%, n = 33), most caring for adults (79%, n = 55) and a portion caring for children (21%, n = 15). Eight main themes and one meta-theme emerged, aligning with the social ecological model. The meta-theme of identity was threaded through the other main themes including employment and career development; insurance and benefits; systemic barriers; daily living costs; healthcare costs; stress, strain, and struggle; interpersonal relationships and isolation; and support services.

The findings highlight the deep impact of employment and financial experiences on every dimension of Millennial family caregivers' lives. Research, clinical practice, and policy efforts should address both upstream and downstream interventions that can address the diversity of challenges these caregivers experience related to the intersection of family caregiving, employment, and financial need.