Neal K. Shah

by Neal K. Shah and Mary Furlong

Buckle up, America. The upcoming Harris-Trump debate just got a surprise guest: the caregiving crisis. Thanks to 25,000 petition signatures from the CareCantWait campaign , our presidential hopefuls may be forced to address an issue they'd probably rather ignore. It's about time.

While we're all braced for fireworks on immigration and heated exchanges on the economy, there's a $600 billion elephant in the room. That’s the annual value of unpaid caregiving work in America – a number that dwarfs the revenues of Apple, Amazon, or Microsoft.

Surprised? You're not alone. This massive economic contribution has been hiding in plain sight, much like the 53 million Americans who provide this unpaid care . If caregivers were a state, they'd be the largest in the union. California? Texas? Cute. Welcome to the United States of Caregiving.

These 53 million Americans are unsung heroes – the invisible workforce that keeps our nation running. They're the daughters juggling full-time jobs while caring for both young children and fathers with Alzheimer's. They're the husbands learning to be nurses overnight as their wives battle cancer. They're the granddaughters putting their education on hold to care for grandmothers with dementia.

It's a labor of love, but one that comes at a steep cost. Caregivers lose an average of $304,000 in wages and benefits over their lifetime . The pandemic has only made things worse, with one in three mothers considering leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers, according to a McKinsey report .

Now, we can already hear the objections. "But that's a personal choice," some will say. "It's not the government's job to solve family issues." Fair enough. But when millions of Americans are forced to choose between their careers and caring for loved ones, it becomes an economic issue. When businesses are losing talent and productivity because employees are stretched thin by caregiving responsibilities , it becomes a competitiveness issue.

So, as Harris and Trump face off, they'll have to address a crisis that's affecting millions of voters right now. Here's what we should be listening for:

First, will either candidate acknowledge the sheer scale of this crisis? It's not just about individual families anymore. It's about our economic future.

Second, what concrete policies will they propose? We need to hear about paid family and medical leave – yes, the U.S. is still the only developed nation without it . We need plans for providing Social Security credits for caregivers , expanding respite care services, and better integrating home and community-based services into our healthcare system.

Third, how do they plan to harness tech innovation to address this crisis? AI-powered platforms like CareYaya are already connecting overwhelmed family caregivers with affordable help. Other innovators are simplifying care navigation and helping family caregivers access government benefits to get paid for their work. Will either candidate present a vision for encouraging more moonshot innovations like these?

But perhaps most importantly, will either candidate challenge us to rethink how we value care work in America? Because ultimately, this isn't just about policy tweaks or technological fixes. It's about a fundamental cultural shift.

Care is the work that makes all other work possible. It's time we treated it as such. Investing in care infrastructure is just as crucial to our nation's future as investing in roads and bridges.

This isn't a partisan issue. Caregiving doesn't check your voter registration before it upends your life. It's an equal opportunity crisis that affects Republicans, Democrats, and everyone in between.

So, as Harris and Trump take the stage, listen closely. Are they addressing the millions of Americans who've had to downshift their careers or leave their jobs entirely to care for loved ones?

Because the truth is: We can't build a strong economy on the backs of burned-out caregivers. We can't achieve true gender equality while unpaid care work remains a "women's issue." And we can't call ourselves a compassionate society while millions of Americans are forced to choose between caring for loved ones and pursuing their own dreams.

How we tackle the caregiving crisis is a test of our values as a nation. As Harris and Trump face off, let's hope they're prepared to address the care crisis in millions of American homes.

Grab your popcorn and your debate bingo cards. As Harris and Trump trade barbs, listen for who's really addressing the $600 billion question. Because that candidate might just win the hearts and minds of 53 million voters.

Neal K. Shah is CEO of CareYaya Health Technologies , one of the fastest-growing eldercare tech platforms in America, and a tireless advocate for recognizing the economic and social value of caregiving in America. Mary Furlong is CEO of Mary Furlong & Associates, a leading consultancy in the $8.3 trillion longevity market, and professor at Santa Clara University .

Neal K. Shah

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Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area 46K followers 500+ connections

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About

Experience

CareYaya

Education

University of Pennsylvania

View Neal K.’s full profile

Other similar profiles

Elliot Zibel, CFA

Richard Campagna, CFA

Jason Sunderland

Tina Byles Williams

Philip Gaucher

Andrew Klaber

Qindong (Bruce) Liu

Mark Tashkovich

Nik N.

Chris Demetriou

James Medeiros

Todd Briddell

Thomas Ciampi

Jim Pritchard

Bob Goldstein

Carrie A. McCabe

Carter Tolleson

Chris Greco

Rachel S.L. Minard

Tyger Park

Explore collaborative articles

Others named Neal K. Shah

Neal K. Shah

Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area

46K followers 500+ connections

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