Aging parents and sick spouses: millions leave jobs

Even when the job market is approaching levels last seen before the pandemic, the lack of affordable care for aging parents and disabled adults is keeping millions out of the workforce. According to the most recent Household Pulse Survey from the Census Bureau, at least 6.6 million people who weren't working in early May said that it was because they were caring for someone else. Whether and when these workers return to the workforce will play a crucial role in the recovery of the labor force. 

Four times as many Americans are out of work taking care of adult family members than those who left work to take care of their children during the pandemic. Courtney Russell left her job during the early months of the pandemic to take care of her husband after his cancer returned. He needed a bone-marrow transplant and chemotherapy. She says it could be years before she considers looking for work again. Russell, who worked two decades in retail says, "I thrived in my job and to be honest, I don’t do well when I’m not working. But ultimately his health comes first." 

At a time when job openings outnumber potential workers, caregiving is the second-largest factor keeping people out of work. This mismatch is contributing to labor shortages around the country and playing a role in overall inflation. 

Source: The Washington Post