86% of Caregivers Would Make the Same Choices Again — but Only 20% Felt Prepared

Family caregivers stand by the choices they made — even the hard ones. In A Place for Mom’s 2026 State of Caregiving report, 86% of caregivers said they would make exactly or mostly the same decisions again. Yet only 20% felt completely prepared when caregiving began, down from 26% in 2025, and 85% wish they had known more about at least one topic earlier. The survey covered 1,013 nonprofessional caregivers, ages 40–75, caring for an adult 55 or older, and was conducted by Morning Light Strategy in September 2026; the report was released November 5, 2026, for National Family Caregivers Month.

The decisions that are hardest

Eighty-seven percent of caregivers faced at least one difficult decision. The three hardest, according to the report: balancing a loved one’s wishes against their safety (42%), knowing when more help is needed (34%), and asking family or friends to help (33%). Forty percent find it hard to even discuss alternative care options with the person they care for.

What caregivers wish they had known earlier

Asked what they lacked, caregivers named two things above all: what to expect as care needs change (33%) and what insurance and benefits actually cover (32%). That second gap is one families can close before a crisis — benefits coverage is knowable in advance, unlike most of caregiving.

The do-it-myself default, and why it breaks

Sixty-four percent of caregivers say they would ideally provide all the care themselves. The report shows what that ideal runs into: an average of 23.1 hours of care per week, 75% caregiving for a year or more, 66% reporting financial strain, and the share reporting worsening mental health rising from 33% to 40%.

Home care is gaining acceptance

One shift stands out: 58% of caregivers whose loved one is not in senior living now call in-home care a great option, up sharply from 42% in 2025.^[1] Bringing help into the home is no longer the reluctant fallback it was a year ago.

Support around caregivers is thinning

The share of caregivers who feel the federal government is doing enough fell from 29% to 18%.^[1] At work, 22% of employed caregivers say their employer offers no caregiving support at all, and another 10% do not know what is offered — worth checking before assuming nothing exists.

Five conversations to have before a crisis

• Safety vs. wishes: agree in advance how you will weigh your loved one’s preferences against safety as needs change — the single hardest decision caregivers report.
• Benefits coverage: find out now what insurance and benefits cover, and what they do not; a third of caregivers wish they had.
• Respite: decide who can step in, and for how long, before you are running on empty.
• Work supports: ask your employer what caregiving support exists — many caregivers who assume there is none have never asked.
• When home care enters: talk through what would trigger bringing in paid help, while it is still a choice rather than an emergency.

Key Takeaways

• 86% of caregivers would make the same decisions again, but only 20% felt completely prepared at the start (A Place for Mom 2026 State of Caregiving, 1,013 caregivers surveyed September 2026).
• The hardest decisions: balancing wishes vs. safety (42%), knowing when more help is needed (34%), asking family to help (33%).
• Caregivers most wish they had known what to expect as needs change (33%) and what insurance/benefits cover (32%).
• 58% now see in-home care as a great option, up from 42% in 2025.