A survey conducted by AARP and S&P Global found that 67% of family caregivers have a difficult time balancing their jobs with caregiving duties, with 16% stopping work entirely for a period of time to meet caregiving responsibilities.
One Springfield caregiver left multiple jobs and traveled 14 hours from South Georgia to be her father's primary caregiver.
"I got a call on a Thursday, and I was here by Sunday," said Gia Looney. "I just, I just dropped everything."
Life for Gia has been a bit of a whirlwind since relocating from Brunswick, Georgia. A family emergency and a phone call prompted her to leave a life she had planned in exchange for one she didn't expect.
"Abruptly coming here and trying to handle a whole grown person's business just blindly, you know, then the bank is wanting to give me problems, and this person wants to give me problems," she said. "And I've been his daughter all my life. Everybody knows who I am. But now all of a sudden, it's red tape. So very, very, very stressful."
Gia now lives with her father as a full-time caregiver and spends most evenings folding sheets and preparing meals and medications for the next few days. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the need for caregivers is expected to continue to grow with increases in the U.S. older adult population. Currently, there are seven potential family caregivers per older adult. By year 2030, the CDC estimates that number will decrease from seven to four.
"I do everything he can't. He can't do anything," she said. "Anything to keep his quality of life, I have to take care of."
Gia's father, Robert Looney, is in his early 80s. Around Springfield, he is affectionately known as Bevo. He is an amputee and has suffered a series of health complications over the years, including a stroke in 2020.
"I've had two eye operations, you know, two knees replaced and two hips replaced. I've had my gallbladder taken out. I had a foot of my colon taken out. Things will happen to you," he said.
Aside from his physical limitations, Robert Looney's mind is extremely sharp. He can still remember his glory years as "Bevo the Flash," a decorated sprinter for Springfield's Central High School in the early 1960s, competing in multiple races.
"[I competed in] the 100, 200, 880 relay, the quarter mile relay, broad jump, high jump, everything," he said.
In 2023, he was inducted into the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame. His best time in the 100 meter was 9.4 seconds while at Central High School. At Southwest Missouri State University, now MSU, he posted a time of 9.5 seconds as a sophomore.
"See, I had over 80 scholarship offers all around the nation," he said.
"I still have those letters," said Gia.
"And I was thinking about going to Prairie View (A&M), and my mother said no. She said, 'son, I don't want you to go there.' She said, 'I want you to go where I can come watch you.' "
These days, Robert Looney said having his daughter by his side is his greatest reward. During our visit to the Looney residence, Gia spent time exercising the fingers on her father's left hand using a rolled washcloth.
"I had a stroke, and it crippled my left hand," he said. "I can't make my brain tell my fingers to open."
Gia said, during their time together, she's helped to manage her father's diabetes.
"She got that under control to where I don’t have to have shots every day," said Robert.
"I weaned him off his insulin," said Gia. "All it takes is some management. Instead of having three pieces of key lime pie, he gets half of one piece.
Gia describes caregiving as a roller coaster with some days being overwhelming but said she's fortunate that her father supports her financially while she works part time as a hairdresser. She said an added bonus is that her father receives assistance from Veterans Affairs, which pays for certain supplies and nursing visits.
"My daddy takes good care of me," said Gia. "My daddy has always taken care of me."
"I try to pay her, said Robert, "but she don't want to take the money."
"My dad is such a giving dad," said Gia.
As someone being cared for, Robert admitted there are times when he feels extremely vulnerable.
"I get scared when she's gone for hours and hours and hours," Robert said. "And I said, 'well, she's not coming back.' And I don't really have a lot of people that can take care of me, you know, and I would tell my friends and my cousins, make sure you got somebody in life that's going to take care of you."
"He says, please and thank you," said Gia, "and he makes sure and tells me he loves me. You know, with all of that, it makes it easier."
Gia said she still has things to handle back in Georgia, but for right now, caring for her father is her top priority.