AMNA NAWAZ: We heard earlier
from some front-line health care
workers, but let's turn now to

a different kind of essential
worker, a few of the more
than 50 million caregivers in

this country who provide help
to loved ones or to clients.

We spoke with some who
volunteer, who work
in-home, and some family
caregivers to hear

what their past few
months have been like

MATT BERZOK, Caregiver: My
name's Matt. My son Ben is
a 16-year-old with autism.

When the pandemic
started, Ben went from
being fairly structured
and programmed to all of

a sudden having no structure.
It was pretty anxiety-provoking,
especially for Ben, who

over time got more
and more anxious.

CECILY BAKER, Owner, Be Patient
Caregiving: My name is Cecily
Baker. I am the owner of

a business called Be
Patient Caregiving.

Being a caregiver in this
pandemic is all about trust.
The families are worried. We're

listening to the media about
people dying left and right
in nursing homes, assisted

living, and in home. That can
affect your mental health.

MARIA ORTIZ, Alzheimer's
Association of Greater
Cincinnati: My name
is Maria Ortiz. I am a

volunteer member for the
Greater Cincinnati chapter for
the Alzheimer's Association.

My father passed away from
Alzheimer's in 2014. It's a way
not only to honor his memory,

but also to be a voice out
there, to say to others,
you're not alone. There's help.

EMILY PARSONS, Caregiver: My
name is Emily. My son James
was diagnosed with a terminal

genetic condition six years ago.

We do get 24-hour skilled
nursing care. However,
with the pandemic, we
haven't always had skilled

nurses that were cleared to come
into the home. You don't have
any escape. You're constantly

in that caregiver role. There
is no break. There's no rest.

ANNE ADKINSON, Caregiver: My
name is Anne Adkinson. I live in
Oregon. And I am the caregiver

for my husband, who
is a disabled veteran.

He served in Iraq in 2003. I
feel like we kind of got into
a groove with the caregiving

routine over the last couple
of years. But the pandemic
has definitely put a wrench in

all of that, with
having the kids home.

MATT BERZOK: At one point, he
was so angry, that he ended up
biting me. And I walked around

with a bruise on my shoulder
for the better part of a month.

Even though I might not have
chosen this, he's made me so
much of a better person, brought

me joys that I never thought
I could have, and sadness that
I didn't expect either, but

has also taught me
a lot about life.

CECILY BAKER: So, they want
to know, what are we putting
in a place to make sure that

their loved one is safe?

We are getting our caregivers
tested. And we have asked the
families if they would like

to join.

MARIA ORTIZ: Caretakers feel
that they are not doing the
proper care sometimes or they're

not going beyond what
they should be doing. And
that burden is very heavy.

And now, with the situation of
COVID-19, having people coming
and support the caretaker has

been a little bit more limited,
due to the fear of contagion.

EMILY PARSONS: As a family,
my husband was laid off. His
position was in a factory. And

so we have had
that financial hit.

So, me and my husband have
been tag-teaming. I typically
take a day shift. He typically

takes night shift. My son does
require 24-hour care. He cannot
be left alone because of the

respiratory and
breathing issues.

Due to the fact that
COVID is primarily a
respiratory disorder,
it's made our movements

very restricted.

ANNE ADKINSON: With military and
veteran caregivers, there's 5.5
million of us in our country,

and we provide $14 billion a
year in free care for veterans.

Little things, a note, reaching
out, even just saying, hey,
I'm at Target, can I pick

something up for you, saves
me so much time. And it just
helps me feel supported.

AMNA NAWAZ: And for a
deeper look at the toll
that this pandemic has
taken on our nation's

caregivers, Judy Woodruff spoke
recently with Dr. Jennifer
Olsen. She's executive director

of the Rosalynn Carter
Institute for Caregiving.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Jennifer Olsen,
welcome to the "NewsHour."

These stories from caregivers,
people who take care of
others, they're -- it's just

overwhelming. It takes
your breath away.

And they're normally the kinds
of stories we don't hear.
I mean, these happen in the

privacy of families.

DR. JENNIFER OLSEN,
Executive Director, Rosalynn
Carter Institute for
Caregiving: You're right.

The stories we just heard are
often bedroom or kitchen table
conversations, despite the

fact that there are over
50 million caregivers
in this country.

And that was the
number before COVID-19.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Give us
a sense of the range
of things caregivers
are called on to do and

what it can mean when
the day knows no end.

DR. JENNIFER OLSEN: Yes, I
think what we have heard is
increases in stress in this time

of COVID, with a couple of main
drivers, fears about someone
getting sick themselves, so

they want to be able to provide
the care that do for others.

Individuals worried about their
care recipient getting sick.
Lack of access to services,

as we just heard, people unable
to come into the home or day
programs not being available.

Last week, we released a
report, "Caregivers in Crisis,"
which is a hard read, but not

surprising. Over 80 percent
of the caregivers we talked to
mention this increased stress,

as well as fears about a lack
of ability to go for medical
treatments or appointments

that they were expecting to
bring their loved one to. So,
the stress is compounding.

JUDY WOODRUFF: And the
work that these caregivers
do, it's not as if they
can be socially distanced.

I mean, they are doing some
of the most personal kinds
of help that you can imagine.

DR. JENNIFER OLSEN:
That's right.

I think many caregivers had
created structures that gave
them respite or breaks. Even the

drive to the grocery store
provided a moment of break for
returning to their caregiver

role. Those breaks
aren't as available.

The services that people relied
on for certain people who came
into your home not as available,

just an ongoing list of
reasons that things are
becoming more challenging.

JUDY WOODRUFF: You, the Rosalynn
Carter Institute, have called
this an emergency room moment

for caregiving.

What did you mean by that?

DR. JENNIFER OLSEN: I'm
a public health person.

And in public health,
we constantly try to
keep people out of the
emergency room, whether

through prevention or education
and awareness campaigns,
or mild treatment options.

Unfortunately, caregivers tend
to reach out for help or get
support when they're at their

stress point, when they are
experiencing physical or mental
health ailments themselves.

I think this is the point
for the country to see that
caregivers, if supported, won't

get to those stress points,
won't show up in that emergency
room of their caregiver

journey.

JUDY WOODRUFF: What
can be done about it?

I mean, these are -- it's not
as simple as the government
passing one law. I mean, these

are people -- again, it's in the
family. It's children. It's the
elderly. It's so many different

kinds of circumstances.
What are the kinds of
things that would help them?

DR. JENNIFER OLSEN: Our work
for caregivers will require
an engagement on thinking at

the population level about
policies and programs,
as well as listening
to and learning from

individual caregivers' stories.

But you're right, Judy. This is
going to take an effort amongst
different sectors, employers

engaging directly,
legislators and lawmakers,
health departments,
social service departments

and community organizations,
working to see caregivers.

How often are caregivers
thought of? Not nearly
enough. We don't engage
in caregiver conversations

at many boardrooms and companies
across this country, nor in
the hallways of governments

at the federal and state
level. And that's the change
that we're calling for.

Across this country, there have
been caregivers who have immune
compromised loved ones that

they have figured out innovative
solutions for, whether
that's drive-through services

or drop-offs.

So, wouldn't it be
amazing if we started
to look to caregivers
as the problem-solvers

that they are and
to learn from them?

JUDY WOODRUFF: Well, there's
no question they are doing
extraordinary work, as you say,

for millions and
millions of Americans.

Jennifer Olsen with the
Rosalynn Carter Caregiving
Institute, thank you
so much for joining us.

DR. JENNIFER OLSEN:
Thank you, Judy.