Resources to Support Youth in Current or Future Caregiving Responsibilities Identified by Respondents Age 14-24 (n = 905)
| Frequency (%) | Representative Quotes | |
|---|---|---|
| Education | 382 (42.2) | “Knowing what are some common mistakes maybe” 18, male, White or Caucasian “Guidebooks, informational videos or podcasts, medical resources available for how to correctly take care of them” 21, female, White or Caucasian |
| Financial support | 238 (26.3) | “Financial safety net, resources, help from others” 18, female, Asian “Having a strong financial backing” 20, male, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander and White |
| Social/ professional support | 141 (15.6) | “I'd hire a caregiver for them, or look after them during my free time” 15, female, Asian “Have funds set aside so I can pause work or even hire someone to help so I can finish things I need to do” 24, nonbinary, White or Caucasian |
| Time and space | 89 (9.8) | “Time, simply just the time to dedicate to taking care of them” 16, male, White or Caucasian “Making sure I live in an environment that's safe for them” 19, nonbinary, Black or African American |
| Advance care planning | 87 (9.6) | “Lay out a plan in advance that way we wouldn't have to think about it in a cramped amount of time” 14, male, White or Caucasian “Knowing what kinds of issues they have and how my actions affect them/what I can do to support them” 19, male, Asian |
| Not sure | 80 (8.8) | I'm not sure.” 17, female, White or Caucasian “I'm not sure. I wouldn't know what ways to prepare.” 19, female, Other (Hispanic) |
| Workplace | 58 (6.4) | “Stability, having a job that would accommodate the time and energy needed to take care of the person while also still working” 17, female, Asian “I would need some kind of training, or even a class on how to be a proper caregiver. I would also need the ability to take time off of work if needed” 24, transgender, Black or African American and White or Caucasian |
| Nothing | 44 (4.9) | “I don't think anything could” 18, transgender, White or Caucasian “Nothing prepares you for it. You learn as you go. Maybe working at a retirement home would help some. As well as therapy.” 19, female, White or Caucasian |
| Mental health support | 34 (3.8) | “I wish I would've known the emotional bank it takes to put energy into both yourself and another human being. I wasn't prepared to drain myself for her but that's exactly what I did. If there were a way I could prepare myself for the imbalance I would've taken it.” 18, female, Black or African American “Having a plan for respite” 24, female, White or Caucasian |
Note: Respondents may have indicated multiple types of resources.