This story first appeared in How We Care, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA featuring original reporting and perspectives on how we care for one another at all stages of life. Sign up for free here .
All 13 million Pennsylvanians have depended on caregivers. We all start life as infants, after all. But caregivers are vital long after childhood, including during periods of crisis and sickness. Some of us have disabilities. And for those who are lucky enough to live long lives, we need help as we age.
Many Pennsylvanians provide this care, whether in the workplace, at home, or in our communities. Sometimes caregiving is a vocation, as is the case for workers such as some nursing home aides and physicians. But it can also be a long-term responsibility like caring for family members, including aging parents or partners with medical complications. Or it can be a temporary role such as driving an older adult to appointments or babysitting a friend’s kids.
Some people inhabit all these roles at once.