Some people are born caregivers. You might know them as nurses, nursing assistants or personal care aides--people who earn a living caring for others. But about 22.4 million people find themselves as informal caregivers to friends, parents, spouses and other loved ones. If you were drawn to ClickOnAging.com, you might be one of them.

Informal caregivers are people who help their loved ones with activities of daily living ranging from help with grocery shopping and bill paying to managing medications and medical care.

A study by AARP in 2001 looked at people' perceptions of caregivers and identified that some people are "self-aware" that they are caregivers while others, who provide the same care, do not consider themselves an actual caregiver. More than 90 percent of the "self-aware" caregivers were willing to ask for help and actively looked for other resources to assist them.

When you are providing care to an older loved one, it may seem like you are alone, but you're not. Check out these statistics from the National Family Caregivers Association:

Millions of People Are Caregivers

• 34 million adults (16 percent  of the population) provide care to adults 50+ years.
• 8.9 million caregivers (20 percent  of adult caregivers) care for someone 50+ years who has dementia.
• 5.8 to 7 million people (family, friends and neighbors) provide care to persons 65+ who need assistance with everyday activities.

How Old Are Caregivers?

• While caregivers can be found across the age span, the majority of caregivers are between 35 and 64.
• Many caregivers of older people are themselves elderly. Of those caring for someone aged 65+, the average age of caregivers is 63 years with one-third of these caregivers in fair to poor health.
• In a national sample of caregivers who live with their care recipients, spouses account for about 62 percent of primary caregivers while adult children comprise 26 percent. Secondary caregivers are more likely to be adult children (46 percent) than spouses (16 percent).

Working and Caregiving

• A significant portion of those in the workforce are also providing elder care to family members. Between 25 to 35 percent of all workers report that they are currently providing, or have recently provided, care to someone 65+.
• Most caregivers are employed. Among baby boomer caregivers (aged 50 to 64 years old), an estimated 60 percent are working full- or part-time. Among adult caregivers generally, the majority are employed.

Distance From the Person Being Cared For

• The majority of caregivers (42 percent) live within 20 minutes of the care recipient. One-quarter of care recipients (24 percent) live with the caregiver and another one-fifth (19 percent) live within an hour of the care recipient. The remaining 15 percent of caregivers live more than an hour from the care recipient.

Caregiving and Health

• A wife's hospitalization increases her husband's chances of dying within a month by 35 percent. A husband's hospitalization boosts his wife's mortality risk by 44 percent.
• Studies have found that caregivers may have increased blood pressure and insulin levels, may have impaired immune systems and may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease among other adverse health outcomes.
• Many caregivers are themselves in poor health. Studies show that approximately one-third of caregivers provide intensive care although they are themselves in "fair to poor" physical health.

If you have identified yourself as a caregiver, you may want to read the section on Preparing to Be a Caregiver.