Engaging the Caregiver Community Online
Caregiving for an aging, disabled, or ill loved one can be a life-changing experience. Today’s caregivers come from all walks of life and selflessly provide a vital service to the community. Caregivers juggle many responsibilities - assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), coordination between medical service providers, financial support, transportation, supervision, among other essential services. The economic value of unpaid caregiving in the United States is steadily increasing, with an estimated value of over $470 billion in 2013. This estimate exceeds the value of home care services and Medicaid spending in the same year - a testament to both the extensiveness and essentialness of caregiving to the American economy.
Unfortunately, due to healthcare shortages, community support limitations, and the pandemic's ongoing effects, the modern caregiver community continues to face many challenges. As a result, many caregivers often suffer financial, emotional, and physical-related adverse outcomes due to caregiving. Government agencies and nonprofit organizations that understand the unique challenges of modern caregiving can strengthen their connection with this diverse community of hidden heroes by developing a caregiver-friendly outreach strategy.
Meet the Modern Caregiver:
In 2020, more than one in five Americans (21.3 percent) were providing caregiving to an adult or child with a disability. The caregiver community in the United States currently encompasses over 50 million Americans and is rapidly growing as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age. Caregiving for a loved one is an experience that is likely to be shared by most Americans over their lifetime. The modern caregiver community is a diverse population that includes representation from multiple generations, gender identities, socio-economic status, geographical location, and cultures.
In 2020, National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP reported the following demographics of the caregiver community in the United States:
Approximately 61 percent of caregivers are women, while 39% of caregivers are men.
Generationally speaking, 7% are Silent, 34% of caregivers are Baby Boomers, 29% are Gen Xers, 23% Millennials, and 6% are Gen Zers.
Six in 10 caregivers report being non-Hispanic White (61 percent), 17 percent are Hispanic or Latino, 14 percent non-Hispanic African American or Black, 5 percent Asian American and Pacific Islander, and 3 percent some other race/ethnicity, including multiracial.
One in 10 caregivers is a student enrolled in college or other classes (11 percent).
Nine percent of caregivers are US military veterans.
Eight percent of caregivers identify as LGBTQIA+.
Most caregivers of adults care for a relative (89 percent), typically a parent or parent-in-law (50 percent), spouse or partner (12 percent), grandparent or grandparent-in-law (8 percent), or adult child (6 percent). However, 10 percent provide care to a friend or neighbor.
Here are six tips for how government agencies and nonprofit organizations can connect with the modern caregiver community through communications and outreach:
Recognize the diversity of the modern caregiver community.
The modern caregiver community is diverse across multiple demographics - age, disability status, education level, ethnicity/race, gender, geographic location, sexual orientation, family structure, military/veteran status, religious affiliation, etc. Therefore, public sector organizations that want to reach the caregiver community should incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) practices into their communications and marketing initiatives. For example, social media content should follow accessibility guidelines, digital communications should be Section 508 compliant, and representation of caregivers should include people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and identities.
Read more: Communicating with Diverse Audiences Online.
Harness the power of user-generated digital content.
User-generated digital content such as blogs and social media can be highly effective in reaching target audiences. This type of content is often regarded as more trustworthy than organization-created content. Incorporating user-generated digital content into organizational outreach can be a great way to develop public trust, strengthen community relations, and increase reach to audiences that would otherwise not be initially receptive to traditional advertising content.
Read more: 3 Ways User-Generated Content Impacts Organizations.
Practice social media listening and monitoring to improve support.
For public sector communications and outreach to be effective, the organization must understand its target audience's unique lifestyle and challenges. In addition, the caregiver population may be impacted by current events, such as the pandemic, in community-specific ways. Social media listening and monitoring can provide organizations with timely information regarding caregiver community needs. This ongoing market research can be used to improve organizational support of the modern caregiver community. Additionally, organizations can utilize social media polls and online surveys to collect information from caregivers regarding program effectiveness, population needs, and suggestions.
Provide practical solutions and accessible support to the caregiver community.
Caregivers often find themselves exhausted and feeling disconnected from their communities. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, many caregivers frequently report experiencing stress-related health conditions as a result of the demands of caregiving. Due to the demanding nature of caregiving, caregivers may not have the time or energy to devote extensive time to research support programs and resources. Organizations that support caregivers should utilize digital communication channels to provide practical solutions and accessible support to the caregiver community. This could include sharing helpful resources from the organization, industry stakeholders, and organizational partners.
Prioritize military and veteran caregivers in outreach initiatives.
According to the Dole Foundation, over five million caregivers care for disabled veterans in the United States. This unique demographics of military and veteran caregivers include spouses, parents, siblings, and friends of wounded warriors from all eras of service. Additionally, over one million military and veteran caregivers support post-9/11 veterans that live with service-connected disabilities. Understanding the unique lifestyle of this patriotic population is essential for effective outreach. Government agencies and nonprofit organizations that support caregivers should prioritize the development of a military-friendly communications strategy that resonates with the military and veteran caregiver community. This will include military-inclusive creative assets, population-specific lingo, and military and veteran holiday observances.
Read more: Developing a Military-Friendly Communications Strategy.
Showcase caregiver community thought leaders and influencers.
While many professionals only think of influencers in the context of Millennials and Generation Z marketing of consumer products, influencer marketing can be a great way to connect with diverse communities such as caregivers. Organizations can showcase caregiver community thought leaders and influencers in online publications, social media, and e-blasts. This influencer content can include caregiver spotlights, caregiver interviews, and original content developed by caregivers that recommend organizations' offerings and are distributed on the caregiver’s social media platforms. Due to the extensive amount of traditional advertisements that flood digital spaces, influencer content can be incredibly effective in cutting through the digital noise and engaging caregivers.
Read more: Influencer Marketing Insights.
Learn more about caregiver-focused outreach:
If your organization is looking for a creative partner to provide marketing consulting services, contact Becker Digital. We specialize in going beyond the screen and engaging diverse communities in a meaningful way. All of our work is customized to the organizational client’s needs. Contact us to schedule a complimentary call and learn more about how marketing strategy can enhance your organization’s mission.