As documented by the Bell Policy Center in a pair of recent briefs, services and supports for Colorado’s 870,000 unpaid caregivers of older adults are alarmingly scarce. The ramifications of these gaps are significant and, if unchanged, will have long-lasting impacts for families, local communities, and the state. However, much of these reports were written pre-COVID-19 and as the crisis continues to unfold, we’re witnessing a deepening of these gaps and the further fraying of systems meant to support unpaid caregivers. 

In the following brief, we examine several of the more prominent, observable, and immediate challenges faced by Colorado caregivers as a result of COVID- 19; possible long-term impacts of the virus; and considerations for policymakers on how to move forward, incorporate lessons learned, and refashion a stronger network of supports for these individuals.