78% of Family Caregivers Are Burning Out. Here's What Nobody Tells You Before It Happens.
Seventy-eight percent. That's the number that stopped me this week.
A Place for Mom just released their 2025 National Caregiver Survey. They talked to over 1,000 family caregivers across the country. And 78% of them said they're experiencing burnout. Not occasionally. Not during a rough stretch. Weekly. Daily.
And 68% said caregiving is creating financial strain on top of everything else.
I've been talking to these families for years. The numbers don't surprise me. What surprises me is that we keep acting like this is normal.
## The Part Nobody Warns You About
Most families don't plan for caregiving. They react to it. Dad falls. Mom gets a diagnosis. The hospital calls at 2 AM. And suddenly you're managing medications, arguing with insurance companies, touring assisted living facilities, and trying to hold your own life together at the same time.
Nobody hands you a playbook. There's no orientation packet at the doctor's office. There's no class in college called "How to Take Care of Your Aging Parents Without Losing Your Mind."
So you figure it out on the fly. And that's where the burnout starts.
## It's Not Just Emotional. It's Financial.
The financial side is the part that catches families off guard. A Place for Mom found that 68% of caregivers report at least some financial strain from caregiving. That includes lost wages from cutting hours or quitting a job. It includes out-of-pocket costs for medications, equipment, and home modifications. It includes the retirement contributions that stopped because the money had to go somewhere else.
And here's the kicker. Most of these costs hit before the family has even figured out what the long-term plan is. They're spending money in crisis mode, making decisions under pressure, and paying a premium for things they could have planned for.
## What I Saw From the Other Side
I spent 8 years in construction project management, house flipping and investing in real estate. During that time, I watched families fall apart during senior transitions. I saw houses sold to cash buyers for 60 cents on the dollar because the family was too exhausted to negotiate. I saw adult children make decisions they'd regret for years because nobody told them what their options were.
I looked the other way for a long time. It wasn't my problem.
Then I switched sides. And now it is.
## The Fix Isn't Complicated. It's Early.
The difference between a manageable transition and a total crisis usually comes down to one thing: timing. Families who start planning before the emergency have better outcomes. They spend less money. They burn out less. They make better decisions.
That doesn't mean you need to have everything figured out right now. It means you need to know what's coming so it doesn't blindside you.
It means having a conversation at the kitchen table instead of the emergency room.
## Where to Start
If you're reading this and you're already in the thick of it, you're not failing. The system wasn't built to support you. But there are tools and resources that can help you get a handle on what's happening and what to do next.
I built the Senior Transition Blueprint to give families a step-by-step plan for exactly this situation. It covers everything from legal documents to housing options to financial planning to family communication. And if you want daily support and coordination with your family, SeniorSafe puts everything in one place.
But even if you never buy a thing from me, start the conversation. Today is better than tomorrow. And tomorrow is better than the ER.
Get the free Simple Blueprint to start planning your family's transition: rigginsstrategicsolutions.com/simpleblueprint
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Ryan Riggins is the founder of Riggins Strategic Solutions, a consumer protection company for families navigating senior transitions. He spent 8 years in construction project management and another 8 years flipping houses before switching sides. Two books on Amazon. Free resources at rigginsstrategicsolutions.com.
