These are the topline results of a YouGov/Huffington Post survey of 1000 US adults interviewed October 22 - 24, 2014 on caregiving. The results show that most people think you have an obligation to care for ill close relatives. The margin of error is 3.9%.
Click here to see full tables and demographic crossbreaks
If your parent or close relative were seriously ill, how would you prefer they be cared for? Select all that apply.
I would personally care for them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55%
I would hire a nurse to care for them in their home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32%
I would pay for them to live in an assisted living facility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19%
I would not be involved with their care in any of these ways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18%
If your spouse or significant other were seriously ill, how would you prefer they be cared for? Select all that apply.
I would personally care for them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64%
I would hire a nurse to care for them in their home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26%
I would pay for them to live in an assisted living facility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11%
I would not be involved with their care in any of these ways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3%
I am not in a relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18%
Unsure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6%
How long would you be willing to be the caregiver for an ill relative or spouse?
Less than 6 months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3%
6 months to 1 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5%
1 year to 5 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10%
More than 5 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52%
I would not be willing to be a caregiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24%
Would you be willing to be the caregiver for more than one person at the same time?
Yes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25%
No . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36%
Which comes closer to your view?
People should only care for a seriously ill parent or spouse if they want to do so . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34%
People have an obligation to care for a seriously ill parent or spouse regardless of whether they want to do so . 52%
Unsure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14%
