"More than 10 million Millennials are caring for aging parents before they've been able to
fully launch their own careers and consider starting their own families and that's not
including the incalculable numbers of people affected by long COVID. Yet no one is naming this
problem talking about how it feels or offering resources to ease the pressure of Millennial
caregiver burnout. Jennifer N. Levin was 32 when her father was diagnosed with a rare
degenerative illness. As she struggled with few resources and little support she created
Caregiver Collective a national online support group for Millennial caregivers. Now Levin
brings the wisdom from her own experience and that of her support group to Why Us? a
comprehensive look at this generation's culture of care. Filled with the voices of caregivers
expert commentary and research and a roadmap to the solutions that can begin helping people
now as well as build the policies of the future Why Us? addresses: The urgency of caregiving:
With earlier (and better) detection of disease along with a rise in chronic illness the
average age of a care recipient is younger than before--as is the average caregiver age. The
financial costs: Millennials spend a higher percentage of their income on caregiving and carry
unprecedented student loan debt adding to fiscally devastating out-of-pocket costs for care.
Ambiguous loss for caregivers: Caregiving can dictate caregivers' lifestyle choices Millennial
caregivers may grieve the lives they 'thought' they'd have. The impact of COVID and long COVID:
We're in a period of fluctuation with flex and remote work which makes work and caregiving
more compatible. How can we make sure that working caregivers' needs are honored? Strategies
for getting help on the individual level and in relation to policy. We as a culture and
society talk about caregiving broadly-it's something many of us may think "not us" or "we'll
figure that out later." But caregiving is an increasingly urgent crisis. Why Us? brings this
crisis to the fore illuminates the real stories and people who are most affected underscores
the need for shifts in policy and giving support where it is most needed and sounds a clarion
call for change"--
