Did you know that about 40% of family caregivers are men? That’s not a small number, so why are so few talking about this? In episode 1, actor and director Justin Baldoni, former NFL star Devon Still, actor Nathan Kress, author & comedian Zach Anner and long-term care expert Robert Espinoza open up about their experiences giving and receiving care and discuss the importance of caregiving. Nathan shares about caring for his wife throughout her journey with endometriosis and his fear of potentially acting as a caregiver for his daughter as well due to the same illness.
At the beginning, I kind of liked taking care of her when we were just married before the baby happened. But, being in the trenches with her during that can be very overwhemling because it causes horrific pain and it’s hard to see.
– Nathan Kress
Ai-jen Poo, director of Caring Across Generations, touches on how society has undervalued the role of caregiving that women and men who are engaged in care work don’t identify with it.
I think what’s amazing is just the number of men who are touching this experience and engaged in caregiving who don’t even see themselves as caregivers. Millennials are more involved in raising their children than any other generation of men in history … and boomers men are so involved in elder care for their parents.
– Ai-jen Poo
For more information on the Man Enough to Care series, click here. To share your story, click here.
Man Enough to Care series is a Wayfarer Studios production in partnership with Caring Across Generations. This episode was released on February 14, 2021.