What caregiver demographic does WSA represent (As of 2009)?

• ♦ WSA has almost 3,000* members who are caregivers or partners to their ill partner/spouse
• ♦ 24% of WSA members are men and 76% are women
• ♦ 75% of our membership is age 65 or under
• ♦ The 20-45 age range is the fastest growing membership in WSA
• ♦ Percentages: 20-35 - 3%; 36-45 - 12%; 46-55 - 26; 56-65 - 34%; 66+ - 25%
•      *Includes members on the free WSA Online Forum, and paid, supporting members

Where do the members of WSA reside?

• ♦ All fifty of the United States are represented in WSA membership
• ♦ We currently have members in Canada, Japan, Australia, Iceland, Ireland, India and England
• ♦ Anyone from anywhere is welcomed

What are the diseases, illnesses, and disabilities represented by the spouses or partners of WSA members? (in order of prevalence)

• ♦ MS
• ♦ Parkinson's Disease
• ♦ Alzheimer's, Dementia and related memory loss illnesses
• ♦ Autoimmune deficiencies and disorders
• ♦ Brain injuries, disorders and/or diseases
• ♦ Cancer (all types)
• ♦ Crohn's Disease, Colitis and IBS
• ♦ Chronic Pain Disorders
• ♦ Diabetes and othe endorcrine dysfunctions
• ♦ Leukemia and Lymphoma
• ♦ Mental Illness, Depression, Anxiety and related disorders
• ♦ Neurological disorders
• ♦ Spinal Cord Injuries and/or paralysis
• ♦ Spasticity issues and Movement Disorders
• ♦ Stroke or Heart disease and disorders
• ♦ Vision problems (including blindness)
• ♦ And other less prevalent diseases and illnesses

Ages of spousal caregivers in the U.S.: The most recent source of family caregiving statistics, the 2009 Caregiving in the U.S. study carried out by the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) and funded by Met Life Insurance Co. shows that of all family caregivers those caring for a spouse or partner the age-range distribution of the spousal caregiver is:

18-49 - 1% ;  50-64 -  4% ;  65+ - 24% .   A total of 6% of all family caregivers are spousal caregivers.

Click here for all studies from the 2009 Caregiving in the U.S. study

More Caregiving Statistics, from the Rest Ministries, on Chronic Illness are here