In France, one in six people – around 11 million individuals1Ministerial Guide for Family Caregivers. Ministry of the Economy and Finance. [in French] https://www.economie.gouv.fr/files/files/2024/guide_proche-aidant.pdf – currently take on the role of caregiver. A caregiver is a relative or loved one who, without any official position or financial compensation, devotes an average of 20 hours per week to supporting a close member suffering from illness and/or loss of autonomy. This contribution, estimated at €173 billion per year (0.8% of GDP)2Attitude, A. (2025, March 17). Supporting and valuing caregivers: a major societal issue. Aidant Attitude. [in French] https://aidantattitude.fr/soutenir-et-valoriser-les-aidants-un-enjeu-societal-majeur/, remains largely undervalued. These figures highlight how crucial caregivers are in the patient journey: they can, for instance, improve treatment adherence or enable proactive management of side effects.
Unfortunately, this intense commitment often exposes caregivers to chronic stress or psychological distress, which are rarely addressed. This is why focusing on caregivers’ mental health is a major challenge—not only for pharmaceutical companies, as it may enhance treatment effectiveness and proper use, but also for public authorities who already invest in support programs. Yet despite existing initiatives, caregivers still too often face a lack of recognition, emotional exhaustion, and isolation.
In this article, Alcimed explores the challenges linked to caregivers’ mental health and proposes three ways to better support them and safeguard their psychological well-being.
In 2022, 53% of caregivers did not recognize themselves as such, and less than half of French people (47%) said they had heard of the concept of “aidance”1Bresch, P. (2025, June 17). Annual barometer of caregivers by the APRIL Foundation: 1 in 2 caregivers supports a dependent loved one due to age. APRIL Group. [in French] https://www.april.com/fr/communique-de-presse/barometre-annuel-des-aidants-de-la-fondation-april-1-aidant-sur-2-accompagne-un-proche-dependant-en-raison-de-son-age/. This lack of awareness and social recognition contributes to their psychological distress and limits access to support measures such as training, specific leave entitlements, or psychological counseling. Caregivers who do not feel legitimate may therefore miss out on essential resources that would help protect their mental health.
75% of caregivers report feeling intense mental fatigue, and under 50% mention physical fatigue2adsp n° 109 (p.21). (n.d.). Family caregivers or solidarities in action. High Council for Public Health (HCSP). [in French] https://www.hcsp.fr/explore.cgi/adsp?clef=171. This striking difference underlines the strong psychological impact of the emotional burden linked to caring for a sick relative. In the United States, the Public Health Council estimates that 40–70% of caregivers present clinically significant symptoms of depression, and that a quarter of them meet the criteria for major depression3adsp n° 109 (p.21). (n.d.). Family caregivers or solidarities in action. High Council for Public Health (HCSP). [in French] https://www.hcsp.fr/explore.cgi/adsp?clef=171. These figures reflect widespread psychological distress, which, if left unaddressed, jeopardizes not only the caregiver’s health but also that of the patient.
Several studies show that the psychological well-being of caregivers has a direct impact on the patient’s care journey. A study of children with asthma found that treatment adherence declined significantly following a diagnosis of depression in the caregiver4Currie, J. M., Mercer, M., Michael, R., & Pichardo, D. (2023). New caregiver diagnoses of severe depression and child asthma controller medication adherence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(11), 5986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20115986. In addition, for elderly patients hospitalized for various conditions (heart failure, falls, infections…), systematically involving a caregiver in the hospital discharge process reduced readmissions by 25% within three months5Rodakowski, J., Rocco, P. B., Ortiz, M., Folb, B., Schulz, R., Morton, S. C., Leathers, S. C., Hu, L., & James, A. E. (2017). Caregiver integration during discharge Planning for Older adults to reduce resource use: A Metaanalysis. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(8), 1748–1755. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.14873.
When caregivers are exhausted or in distress, they also take longer to detect early signs of complications (pain, confusion, side effects), delaying medical intervention and putting the patient at risk. Even more concerning, a study of 176 “caregiver/patient” pairs in the context of neurodegenerative disease showed that caregiver depression doubled the patient’s mortality risk in the following year6Lwi, S. J., Ford, B. Q., Casey, J. J., Miller, B. L., & Levenson, R. W. (2017). Poor caregiver mental health predicts mortality of patients with neurodegenerative disease. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(28), 7319–7324. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1701597114. For all of these reasons, protecting caregivers’ mental health is essential to ensuring a safe and effective care pathway.
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Being a caregiver means facing sensitive and difficult situations without having been prepared for them. Whether it is understanding the illness or knowing how to respond to certain behaviors, the lack of precise and accessible information is a major source of stress. 84% of caregivers say they need more help and information, particularly on safety, stress management, and end-of-life care7Zabic, A. (2022, December 2). Caregiver Statistics: Health, technology, and caregiving resources. Family Caregiver Alliance. https://www.caregiver.org/resource/caregiver-statistics-health-technology-and-caregiving-resources/.
It is therefore both necessary and relevant to provide reliable content (validated by healthcare professionals), easily accessible and adapted to the specific illness. The positive impact of educational programs has been quantified: a meta-analysis demonstrated their effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms and stress among caregivers. By better understanding disease mechanisms and having clear guidelines for difficult situations, caregivers can reduce their mental load and gain confidence.
Providing a personalized “Caregiver Passport” (in physical or digital form) as early as the diagnosis could deliver simplified explanations of the illness, appropriate attitudes and reactions, as well as concrete advice (stress management, communication with healthcare professionals, etc.). This guide could also include the contact details of psychologists or social workers.
For many, becoming a caregiver means facing isolation as part of daily life. Nearly one in two caregivers in France report feeling “isolated” and “helpless” in their role8Bresch, P. (2025, June 17). Caregivers barometer: 1 in 2 caregivers feels alone and helpless. Yet this social issue is gaining increasing visibility in France. APRIL Group. [in French] https://www.april.com/fr/communique-de-presse/barometre-des-aidants-2021/. This sad reality is also reflected internationally: in the UK, 81% of caregivers report having suffered from loneliness linked to their caregiving responsibilities910 facts about loneliness and caring in the UK for Loneliness Awareness Week | Carers UK. (n.d.). Carers UK. https://www.carersuk.org/news/10-facts-about-loneliness-and-caring-in-the-uk-for-loneliness-awareness-week/.
Creating support groups—whether physical or virtual—can help break this isolation. These exchanges enable sharing of lived experiences, practical advice, and valuable emotional support. Such groups may be organized by caregiver or patient associations, or by healthcare institutions such as hospitals or geriatric services.
Studies show that these initiatives have a positive effect on mental burden, depressive symptoms, and psychological resilience. Another effective measure is to systematically set up caregiver “buddy systems” at the time of diagnosis, in collaboration with local associations. This pairs a caregiver with a volunteer peer, providing someone they can regularly turn to. Having a consistent contact creates trust and continuity, offering reassurance during a period often marked by uncertainty.
As mentioned earlier, caregivers are often poorly informed, including when it comes to their legal status. Many are unaware of their rights and/or face heavy, fragmented administrative processes, which heighten feelings of isolation and abandonment.
In France, measures such as caregiver leave, daily allowances, and respite care were introduced in 2017. While these represent genuine progress, the French framework remains under development. In comparison, European countries take very different approaches: Germany has a well-structured legislative framework including specific leave, financial support, and respite solutions, whereas in Italy, support relies mainly on a dependency allowance paid directly to the patient, which does little to promote recognition of caregivers’ status. France thus lies between a well-developed German model and a more limited Italian one, with room to move toward comprehensive support.
The creation of an official “Caregiver Card” linked to public services and issued by health insurance authorities as soon as caregiver status is formally recognized (e.g., parents of a disabled child, relatives of an Alzheimer’s patient), could simplify administrative procedures and facilitate access to entitlements such as respite care or caregiver leave.
The mental health of caregivers is becoming an increasingly pressing issue: by 2030, nearly one in four working-age adults in France will be concerned by caregiving, as a result of longer life expectancy. Acting now on three key levers—training caregivers, combating isolation, and recognizing their status—would not only improve their psychological well-being, but also enhance the quality of life and care of the people they support.
At Alcimed, we support numerous healthcare players on high-impact challenges. Our work on caregivers of patients with rare diseases and on emerging mental health technologies, for instance, illustrates our commitment to transforming current challenges into tangible opportunities. We closely monitor rapid developments in these fields and are ready to assist you in designing and implementing tailored solutions. Don’t hesitate to contact our team!
About the author,
Justine, Consultant in Alcimed’s Healthcare team in France
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