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Summary of Social Agenda's Caregiver Poll of 1005 Americans
August 2002

Americans are highly conscious of the challenges of being a good parent, spouse, son, daughter or neighbor to those in need of care.
	93.7% agree with the statement: "Giving care is work."
	90.6 % of respondents who identified themselves as parents agreed: "I am a full time at home-parent who could use some time to myself now and then."

Americans strongly hold to the view that they and those who need care are best equipped to make caregiving decisions.
	88.9 % of respondents said that caregivers and those cared-for should determine when care is needed.
	Conversely, 92.4 % disagreed with the statement "Government should decide when care is needed in my family. 60.6% strongly disagreed.
	96.3% of the total agreed with the statement: "Paying for alternatives like a daycare center, nanny or nursing home is expensive."

Uppermost in the minds of Americans is the time/money tradeoff caregiving entails:
	91.5% of the appropriate subset agreed with the statement: "I work outside the home, but would choose to spend more time with my children if I could afford it." A slightly higher percentage of men agreed with this statement than women.
	88.8% agree with the statement: "Being a caregiver is expensive because of unpaid hours spent away from a paying job."

Americans also overwhelmingly see caregiving as more than personal
	97.8% say, "Caregiving is valuable to society as well as to those who are cared-for."

While seeking support, most Americans reject government intrusion with respect to family decisions and are reluctant to seek institutional, or alternative, care.
	92.5% reject the idea that: 'Government should decide when care is needed in my family
	79.3% agreed that frail seniors are best cared for by family members in the home
	73.7% rejected the notion that better care is provided in nursing homes.

Still, Americans look favorably on a partnership with government that allows them to provide better and more sensitive care to those they love.
	96.9% agreed that: "Government should offer more concrete support to caregivers when care is needed."

Americans overwhelmingly support a targeted tax credit for those who give care to family members.
	96.8% support a Caregiver Credit through the tax system for those who give direct care to children and or adults in need.
	95.6% support a credit for those who pay for and take responsibility for the quality of care of family or friends in a nursing home, childcare center or other care alternative.

Methodology

1005 people participated in the Social Agenda Caregiver Survey through July 27, 2002. Half the respondents nationwide took the survey on-line at www.caregivercredit.org. The other half was polled randomly. Of these, about two thirds were in New York City at colleges, churches, parks, and at locations such as the South Street Seaport and the Metropolitan Museum of Art where tourists (e.g. non-New Yorkers) tend to congregate. There were no significant differences in responses by method. There were also no significant differences by gender, income or race, though women willing to take the poll outnumbered men by 3 to 1.

Caregiver was defined at the outset of the poll as "all people who raise children and/or give care to disabled, aged, ailing or dying adults directly or who purchase outside care and take responsibility for overseeing it."

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Caregiver Credit Campaign PO Box 2057 Grand Central Station New York, NY 10163

Phone: (212) 755 4801 email@caregivercredit.org