Make caregiving a defining issue of the 2024 election

Kamala Harris, the current vice president and now Democratic candidate for president, made a bold statement in her inaugural campaign speech by shining a spotlight on caregiving. That issue is rarely addressed on the campaign trail even though it profoundly affects millions of Americans’ lives. Her vision for affordable childcare, paid leave, and dignified retirement resonated deeply with families grappling with the complexities of care.

This is a strategic move that candidates across the political spectrum should note.

More than 53 million Americans provide care for an aging loved one or a family member with a disability or serious illness. The challenges they face are immense. Caregivers struggle to coordinate increasingly complex care, often in the face of financial and emotional strain. Two-thirds report a hit to their personal finances, often going into debt, while nearly 40% have experienced high emotional stress due to caregiving. Millions have left the workforce to provide care. This represents just a snapshot of a community in urgent need of support.

Harris’ spotlight on the care economy was short — less than 20 seconds of her roughly 30 minute-long speech — but it sparked excitement among care advocates and policy wonks. In fact, the first independent expenditure in support of Harris came from the Care Can’t Wait Action Coalition, which launched a $500,000 ad campaign in states like Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Caregiving is an issue Harris knows all too well after helping care for her mother while she battled colon cancer. Harris’ personal experience is reflected in her belief that caregiving deserves recognition and that family caregivers are central to the economy. As a prominent advocate for paid family and medical leave, affordable child care, and improved long-term care, she has been in the vanguard of defining and advancing the care agenda.

But caregiving isn’t just a personal cause: It’s a potent political issue resonating with a growing number of voters across the political spectrum.

A unified call for action across the political spectrum

Recent polling data commissioned by Pivotal Ventures and Bipartisan Policy Center Action reveals caregiving’s bipartisan appeal. A striking 82% of U.S. voters believe that supporting investments to ease the burden on caregivers should be a top priority for policymakers and candidates. A significant majority of voters across the political spectrum (84% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans) consider a candidate’s stance on caregiving issues a crucial factor in their voting decisions, with many (76% of Democrats and 55% of Republicans) indicating they are more likely to support candidates who prioritize this issue.

This overwhelming consensus underscores the urgent need for bipartisan action on caregiving. It’s a clear call for leaders to put aside political differences and work together to champion policies that value caregivers and strengthen the fabric of our communities. Candidates, regardless of party affiliation, ignore this at their peril.

Fortunately, bipartisan solutions are aplenty.

Advancing caregiving support

The first-ever National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers — advanced during both the Trump and Biden administrations and by congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle — was released in 2022 and offers elected leaders a roadmap for addressing the needs of family caregivers.

A congressional Bipartisan Paid Family Leave Working Group demonstrates that the issue is an area in which Republicans and Democrats can come together to support working families. More than 60% of family caregivers balance work while providing care, according to research from the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP.

Caregiver tax credits that help offset the growing out-of-pocket costs that family caregivers face are gaining traction in red and blue states alike, with Nebraska being the latest state to establish a tax credit for family caregivers. In March, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed a $5,000 tax credit for caregivers. A national caregiver tax credit is also gaining traction.

Call to action for voters and candidates

This year’s election represents a pivotal moment for caregiving in America. It is a chance to elevate this often-hidden issue on the campaign trail and in town halls across the country. Voters have an opportunity to demand that candidates outline their plans to address their care needs, and to elect leaders who understand the caregiving challenges they face.

There has never been a better time to elevate this issue and build a future where care is valued and where family caregivers are supported.

Jason Resendez is the president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving.