Honoring Black Caregivers: Strength, Stress, and the Science of Support

Written by: Team Vallige

As February comes to a close, we pause to recognize Black History Month — a time to honor the achievements, leadership, creativity, and resilience of Black Americans throughout history. It is also a time to reflect on ongoing disparities in health and access, and to consider how we can build systems that promote equity and well-being for every family.

In the world of dementia care, this month carries particular significance. Caregiving is deeply meaningful work, but it is not evenly distributed. In many Black communities, both dementia prevalence and caregiving responsibility are disproportionately high — making caregiver health an urgent and important topic of conversation.

Higher Dementia Risk, Higher Caregiving Demand

According to data reported by the Alzheimer’s Association, Black Americans are approximately twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias compared to White Americans. This disparity has been consistently documented in national epidemiological research and remains one of the most significant inequities in cognitive health.

Higher incidence does not only affect individuals. It reshapes families.

When dementia risk increases within a community, caregiving demand increases as well. More adult children adjust their work schedules. More spouses navigate progressive cognitive change. More families absorb emotional, logistical, and financial strain over extended periods of time.

Caregiving is often described as an act of love — and it is. But sustained caregiving also carries measurable health consequences, particularly when support systems are limited or unevenly distributed.

The Biological Toll of Caregiving Stress

A 2025 study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia (Johnson et al., 2025) examined the long-term biological effects of caregiving stress among Black family caregivers of individuals living with dementia. Researchers at Emory University found that higher perceived stress, poor sleep, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were associated with shorter telomeres — protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that naturally shorten as we age.

Telomere shortening is widely considered a marker of accelerated cellular aging, suggesting that chronic caregiving stress may influence the body at a fundamental biological level. The study also identified links between caregiver stress and elevated inflammation, insulin resistance, and higher blood pressure — early indicators of cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk.

These findings reinforce an important truth: caregiving stress is not only emotional. It can become physiological, shaping long-term health outcomes.

Importantly, the research does not diminish the resilience of Black caregivers. Rather, it highlights the cost of carrying disproportionate responsibility without adequate support. When stress becomes chronic, the body responds — and those responses accumulate over time.

Recognition — and Responsibility

Black caregivers have long demonstrated extraordinary commitment to family and community. Multi-generational care networks are often sources of pride, continuity, and cultural identity. But strength should not require silent sacrifice.

Health disparities rarely arise from a single cause. They reflect overlapping structural factors — healthcare access, economic stability, neighborhood environments, chronic stress exposure, and generational inequities. When dementia risk is higher within a population, caregiving demand increases. When caregiving demand increases without adequate support, stress rises. When stress rises chronically, biological consequences accumulate.

Caregiver wellness is therefore not simply an individual matter. It is a community health issue.

This Black History Month, we recognize the strength, devotion, and resilience of Black caregivers across the country. We also recognize the growing scientific evidence demonstrating that caregiving stress can influence long-term health — and that earlier, equitable support can make a meaningful difference.

Honoring caregivers means more than celebrating endurance. It means investing in systems that reduce strain, expanding access to culturally responsive resources, and ensuring that caregiver well-being is treated as a priority rather than an afterthought.

When caregivers are healthier, families are stronger. And when families are stronger, communities thrive.