A personal and professional reflection on the PBS “Caregiving” documentary by Camilla Weber
The PBS Caregiving Documentary
Like Bradley Cooper, I never thought much about caregiving—until it became my daily reality. When my parents needed care, I stepped into that role, not knowing it would change everything. I found myself doing things I never imagined, while also discovering a love for my mother that I didn’t know I had in me. The PBS Caregiving documentary, now available to stream, captures this reality so beautifully and so tenderly. If you haven’t seen it, I truly hope you will.
As a caregiving advocate and advisor, I’ve spent years helping others navigate the caregiving journey—but this film reminded me that no amount of training or expertise can prepare you for how deeply caregiving transforms you. It’s messy. It’s sacred. It’s often invisible. And yet, it touches every one of us.
We Are the Caring Majority
One of the most powerful messages from the film is this: Care is not a niche issue. It’s universal. Every person will either receive care, give care, or both in their lifetime. And yet, we continue to treat caregiving like a private burden rather than a shared responsibility. In truth, caregiving is the thread that runs through all of life—from birth to death and the PBS Caregiving documentary reminds us of this.
The documentary did an excellent job highlighting diverse caregivers: parents caring for children, children caring for parents, professionals working in low-paid care jobs, and even spouses caring for their partners. As someone who works closely with caregivers, I was especially grateful for the attention given to male caregivers, who are often invisible in public conversations. We need to acknowledge and support all caregivers—not just the ones who fit the traditional mold.
My Journey: From Caregiver to Daughter
What moved me most personally was the recurring theme of love growing through care. That was my experience, too. I grew up in a dysfunctional home. My mother was emotionally unavailable and as a child I often felt like I was the one doing the parenting. But in her final years, I was able to care for her in the way I always wished she could have cared for me. That experience was redemptive. Painful, yes—but also healing.
Caregiving changed the way I understood my role as a daughter. I moved constantly between being a medical coordinator, an advocate, a physical helper—and a daughter just trying to hold on. At the same time, I was also a mother packing lunches and reading bedtime stories, and a wife doing my best to stay emotionally present in my marriage, even when I felt pulled in every direction. That back-and-forth was disorienting, but it was also deeply important. It’s part of what helps caregivers process their experience and begin to regain themselves during their unique caregiving journey. This transition—from caregiver back to child, spouse, sibling, or self—deserves far more attention in our national conversation.
Care Shouldn’t Be a Political Issue
One segment of the documentary covered the Build Back Better bill, introduced in 2021, showing how its major caregiving components were stripped during final negotiations. Watching that segment hit close to home—I had followed the bill’s progress with hope, only to see those caregiving provisions disappear. We were so close to meaningful change—paid family leave, better support for care workers, real infrastructure for aging in place—and it slipped away due to political maneuvering.
It forces us to ask: Why is care still considered political, when it touches everyone? If the measure of a successful nation is GDP, productivity, or economic growth, then caregiving should be part of that equation. You can’t have a thriving society without caring for the people who make it run—children, elders, those with disabilities, and yes, their caregivers.
What Are Other Countries Doing Right?
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)—which includes the United States among its member nations—works to promote policies that improve the economic and social well-being of people worldwide. In many OECD countries, caregiving is seen as a societal responsibility, not just a personal one. Family caregivers often receive tangible support through paid leave, cash stipends, flexible work arrangements, and access to respite services. In fact, about two-thirds of OECD countries offer some form of direct or indirect compensation to informal caregivers.
By contrast, in the U.S., we depend heavily on the unpaid labor of millions—most of them women—who collectively provide care valued at over $600 billion each year. To put that into perspective: in 2021, families across the U.S. spent about $433 billion out-of-pocket on health care—less than the estimated value of unpaid caregiving. Imagine trying to save that much on your own. Even if you set aside $100,000 every year, it would take 6 million years to reach $600 billion. That’s how enormous—and how underappreciated—this contribution is. Caregivers do essential work that quietly holds families and communities together, yet too often, their efforts go unseen and unsupported.
Some states in the U.S. are starting to step up. Ten states now compensate family caregivers. Thirteen states and Washington D.C. have paid family and medical leave programs. But this patchwork is not enough. We need a coordinated, national strategy that honors caregiving as both a public service and a personal act of love.
(Is your state one of the few that pays caregivers? Check here: What States Pay Family Caregivers)
The Faces of Care
One thing that stood out to me while watching the PBS Caregiving documentary was the weariness etched into every face. The caregivers interviewed looked like they were holding back tears—doing the interview was probably one of the harder things they’d done that day. And yet, they showed up. They told their stories. I’m so grateful they did.
Care shouldn’t be a burden quietly carried. It should be a visible, shared part of our culture. As one quote from the film said, “Care is what makes us human.” Another person asked, “How do we measure America’s success—just GDP, or how we care for one another?” It’s a powerful question—one we need to keep asking.
Let’s Reimagine the Future of Care
We are at a crossroads. Population aging is outpacing our caregiving systems. Our workforce isn’t growing fast enough to meet future needs. But caregiving could become one of the most vital, meaningful professions of the next generation—if we invest in it.
It’s time we reimagine caregiving not as a personal problem, but as a universal human condition. We need policies that reflect this truth. We need communities, workplaces, and faith groups to support caregivers better. And we need to normalize asking for help—and receiving it—with dignity.
What’s Next? I’d Love to Hear From You
If you’ve made it this far—thank you. I hope the PBS Caregiving documentary moves you the way it moved me. If you missed the premiere, you can still stream it here: Watch the PBS Caregiving Documentary.
I’ll continue to share insights and resources here and on my Facebook page, but I’d love for this to be a conversation.
💬 What stood out to you from the documentary?
💬 What has caregiving taught you—about others, about love, or about yourself?
💬 What kind of support would make your journey easier?
Let’s talk. Let’s be honest. And let’s build a future where no caregiver feels alone.