The Caregiver Crisis: When Demographics, Immigration, and Economics Collide
Three crises are colliding to reshape American caregiving:
→ 51% of sandwich generation moms have left jobs due to caregiving responsibilities
→ Immigration enforcement is creating nursing home staffing shortages
→ $1.1 trillion in Medicaid cuts will affect 1.3 million seniors by 2034
Add in the October 2025 government shutdown threatening payment delays to care facilities, and we're seeing a perfect storm.
The organizations and families who recognize how these forces interconnect will be better positioned to adapt. My latest research explores the strategic implications for businesses, employers, and families.
Fall 2025 Learning Objectives: Family-Focused Elder Care Research
Finding the right care solution for aging parents often feels like navigating a maze with no clear map. Adult day care programs exist, but which ones serve veterans? How do sandwich generation families actually make these decisions? What technology really helps seniors age in place safely?
These questions matter to millions of American families right now. With 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day and the sandwich generation caring for both aging parents and their own children, the need for practical guidance has never been greater.
This fall, I'm systematically researching five critical areas: adult day care market gaps, veteran care specialization, family caregiving economics, small-scale care business models, and aging-in-place technology solutions. Following my initial market analysis of the $455-650 billion elder care industry, these learning objectives focus on the specific questions families need answered.
Elder Care Market Analysis 2025: $455B Industry at an Inflection Point
Every day, 10,000 baby boomers turn 65, creating unprecedented demand for elder care services. Yet the industry serving them remains fragmented, undercapitalized, and ripe for transformation. My research into elder care began with a deeply personal question: how do we create sustainable, dignified care for our aging population? As someone currently navigating caregiving responsibilities for aging relatives, I find myself constantly thinking about the intersection of care quality, business sustainability, and family economics.
This interest isn't entirely new to me. My grandmother and great-grandmother were both entrepreneurs in this space—each operated board and care assisted living facilities in their homes. Growing up, I spent afternoons after school and holidays at my grandmother's house, interacting daily with the women she cared for. Those experiences gave me an early appreciation for both the profound human dignity involved in senior care and the practical business realities of providing it sustainably.
Now, considering these childhood observations in the context of my business background, I'm exploring how the elder care industry has evolved—and where it's headed. Through my consulting work with care-focused ventures, I see firsthand how demographic pressures, technology disruption, and evolving care preferences are reshaping this essential sector. What I'm discovering is a market at a genuine inflection point: massive in scale, driven by demographic certainty, yet fragmented and ripe for transformation.