by Neal K. Shah and Mary Furlong
As the nation braces for the first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the air is thick with anticipation. We expect fireworks on immigration, heated exchanges on the economy, and impassioned rhetoric on climate change. But there's a critical issue that may well be overlooked, despite its profound impact on millions of American lives and our economy at large: the caregiving crisis.
This isn't just another policy point to be ticked off a debate checklist. It's a $600 billion question mark hanging over our nation's future. That's the estimated annual value of unpaid caregiving work in America - more than the revenues of Apple, Amazon or Microsoft. Yet, unlike these tech giants, this massive economic contribution goes largely unrecognized and unrewarded.
The numbers are staggering: 53 million unpaid caregivers, predominantly women and disproportionately women of color, form the invisible backbone of our nation's care infrastructure. They're the daughters juggling full-time jobs while caring for both young children and fathers with Alzheimer's. They're the husbands learning to be nurses overnight as their wives battle cancer. They're the granddaughters putting their education on hold to care for grandmothers with dementia.
This is the face of America's "sandwich generation" - adults caught between caring for aging parents and raising their own children. It's a labor of love, but one that comes at a steep cost. Caregivers lose an average of $304,000 in wages and benefits over their lifetime. The pandemic has only exacerbated this crisis, with one in three mothers considering leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers, according to a McKinsey report.
So, as Harris and Trump take the stage, here's what we should be listening for:
First, will either candidate acknowledge the magnitude of this crisis? It's not just a "women's issue" or a "family matter." It's an economic imperative. Our failure to support caregivers is a massive drag on productivity, a driver of gender inequality in the workplace, and a looming crisis as our population ages.
Second, what concrete policies will they propose? We need to hear about paid family and medical leave - the U.S. remains the only developed nation without a federal paid leave policy. We need plans for providing Social Security credits for caregivers, expanding respite care services, and better integrating home and community-based services into our healthcare system.
Third, how do they plan to harness technology to address this crisis? AI-powered platforms like CareYaya are already connecting overwhelmed family caregivers with affordable help. Robotic assistants and health monitoring systems are augmenting human care. Will either candidate present a vision for scaling these innovations?
But perhaps most importantly, will either candidate challenge us to rethink how we value care work in America? Because ultimately, this isn't just about policy tweaks or technological fixes. It's about a fundamental cultural shift.
Care is the work that makes all other work possible. It's time we treated it as such. This means not just compensating caregivers fairly, but elevating the status of care work in our society. It means recognizing that investing in care infrastructure is just as crucial to our nation's future as investing in roads and bridges.
As the debate unfolds, listen carefully. The candidate who grasps the urgency of this issue - who can articulate a vision for an America where caregiving is valued as the essential work it is - may well be the one who truly understands the challenges facing 21st century America.
Because here's the truth: We can't build a strong economy on the backs of burnt-out caregivers. We can't achieve true gender equality while unpaid care work remains a "women's issue." And we can't call ourselves a compassionate society while millions of Americans are forced to choose between caring for loved ones and pursuing their own dreams.
The caregiving crisis isn't just a debate topic. It's a test of our values as a nation. As Harris and Trump face off, let's hope they're prepared to address the elephant in the room - and in millions of American homes.
Neal K. Shah is CEO of CareYaya Health Technologies, one of the fastest-growing eldercare tech platforms in America. He leads NIH-supported research in AI and neurotech to advance health equity. Mary Furlong, founder of Mary Furlong & Associates, is a leading consultant in the $8.3 trillion longevity market. She advises Ziegler Link-Age Longevity Funds and teaches entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University.