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One of the most moving moments of our Future of Fatherhood Summit last month were remarks from Josh Carter, the grandson of the late President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Josh is featured in the new PBS documentary, Caregiving, which shines a light on one of the most overlooked, undervalued professions in America. The documentary is executive produced by Bradley Cooper and is free to stream.

What makes it so powerful is how personal this issue is for Josh. His grandmother was one of the first advocates for caregivers on the national stage, and his family lives their values and has seen the issue up close. As he puts it, “Taking care of a loved one is something we do out of love, something we do out of need and necessity — but it is hard, and it’s lonely. And the resources just aren’t there.”

Caregivers are real-life superheroes, without the capes. The work they do is often unpaid or underpaid, but we’d be lost without it. Quite simply, they make life possible every single day. And yet, it’s no one’s job to care for the caregivers.

This edition of The First Word is a call to action on their behalf. It’s time we built a care infrastructure in America that adequately respects, compensates, supports, and sustains the people who hold up our families and our economy.

 
 
Caregiving is Essential. It’s Time We Treat It That Way.

We have a caregiving crisis on our hands in America. I’ll let the statistics do the talking:

It’s estimated there are 5 million paid caregivers in America. These folks mostly work in assisted living centers or directly in private homes. And they make a median income of less than $24,000, well below what’s needed for a modest living.

On top of the paid caregivers, there are at least another 53 million Americans who provide unpaid care to an adult or child, and the AARP estimates that they provide $600 billion in economic value annually — all without compensation, benefits, or workplace protections. 

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance this applies to you or someone you know. Our Moms First community is filled with members of the “sandwich generation” — adults in their 30s-50s who are simultaneously caring for their young children and their aging parents.

When Josh Carter called this work hard and lonely, he was putting it mildly. Even if you can afford to forgo income to be a caregiver, the physical and emotional stress take an extreme toll. A 2025 McKinsey study found that 37% of caregivers for adults report symptoms of burnout.

As the baby boomer generation ages, the need for caregivers is only going up — and our societal infrastructure just isn’t up to the task. Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health recently concluded that 24 states are on the verge of a “caregiving emergency.”

Right Now, It Looks Like It Might Get Worse Before It Gets Better

As the Columbia study found, the states in the most dire position today tend to be those that failed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. As one caregiving advocate put it: “Medicaid provides crucial home and community-based services that are vital to family caregivers and the people they care for.”

Last week, Congress passed a budget that cuts Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion over the next decade and introduces a work requirement that disproportionately affects caregivers.

So let’s get this straight: The people who sacrifice so much, bearing the physical and emotional brunt of caring for our loved ones, aren’t just getting paid poverty wages (if they get paid at all). They don’t get vacation days. Most don’t have access to paid time off if a family member gets sick. (Some states do offer support for caregivers — check out PaidLeave.AI to see if it applies where you live.) And now, on the verge of a caregiving emergency, our lawmakers are scaling back the few programs that actually exist to support these heroes.

Those who are entrusted with taking care of the people we love deserve to be treated with respect. They deserve to make a living wage. They deserve paid time off.

The work they do might be hidden, but this profession is absolutely critical for any functioning society. So let’s treat it like one — let’s make sure caregivers have paid leave, better wages, and access to affordable child care and elder care support.

 
Let’s Bring Caregiving Out of the Shadows

Building a care infrastructure in America requires, first and foremost, for people to be aware of the issue. There’s a reason we say caregiving is often invisible labor. Many Americans simply don’t, or choose not to, see it in their daily lives. And you can’t prioritize what you don’t see.

Here are three things you can do to help shine a spotlight on this crisis:

  • Watch and share the new PBS documentary, Caregiving, to go deeper and help give this issue the attention it requires. And I don’t want to gloss over the fact that seeing men like Josh Carter and Bradley Cooper out in front advocating for this cause helps expand the idea of what caregiving can look like. That matters, and the entire documentary is very worth your time.
  • If you have a caregiving story to share that can help demonstrate the humanity behind this issue, respond directly to this email with your story and help Moms First lift up the voices of caregivers.
  • Simply forward this email to someone you know who’s in the thick of caregiving right now.  Encourage them to check out Moms First and join the movement that’s advocating for the private and public policy investments we need to build a care infrastructure.

Get Support to Offer Child Care Benefits: Apply by July 17!

Are you a small or medium sized business owner who is looking to support your workforce? Child care benefits not only help your employees, but they create real business value through improved absenteeism rates, retention, and productivity with an ROI up to 425%.

Moms First is offering free coaching and technical support this summer for selected small and medium sized businesses interested in rolling out child care benefits for their employees.

✅ Get expert guidance to understand the business case, available benefits options and design + implementation strategies

✅ Attend live support sessions: Thursday, July 24, 31, Aug 7 at 10am ET

✅ Businesses that successfully launch benefits will be featured in our Moms First newsletter and social media

Interested? Fill out this quick intake form by July 17 to be considered. Spots are limited. Selected businesses will be notified on July 18. 

LEARN MORE

 
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I’m thinking of every caregiver today — the ones quietly holding families together with so much love and strength. May we build a world that cares for them as deeply as they care for us.

 
With hope,
Reshma Saujani