Caregiving Crunch

Across the United States, more and more families are struggling to take care of children or elderly relatives — or both. Finding care is both difficult and expensive. In many states, the annual cost of child care exceeds in-state college tuition. The caregiving crunch carries other costs as well, according to experts: Companies lose $28 billion a year due to absenteeism, high turnover or decreased productivity. With caregiving problems growing more acute, lawmakers from both parties are stepping forward with proposals. At least three 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have proposed universal child care or expanded tax credits for parents. Congress is debating bills that would provide funding for long-term care and better support for working families. A few businesses are opening child care centers or helping employees with the cost of care. But they are a minority, and the United States remains an outlier in its approach to caregiving: In Europe, subsidized child care and extensive paid family leave are commonplace.