Our Lives On Hold: The Caregiver Collapse - And What 2026 Will Bring If Nothing Changes

Caregivers are holding up the care economy - and 2026 will test every system they support.

By Mark Fukae - Director of Advocacy - Professionals Who Care

Across Colorado and the nation, caregivers are holding up the long‑term care system with unpaid labor, personal sacrifice, and an economic burden that grows heavier every year. As we enter 2026, the warning signs are no longer subtle - they are structural, systemic, and accelerating.

Professionals Who Care is proud to share a powerful new essay from Mark Fukae, The Revenue Neutral Caregiver, titled:

“Our Lives On Hold: The Caregiver Collapse - And What 2026 Will Bring If Nothing Changes.”

Read and listen to it here: https://therevenueneutralcaregiver.substack.com/p/our-lives-on-hold-the-caregiver-collapse?r=6a52ih

This piece lays out, with clarity and urgency, the reality facing caregiving families:

• Dementia and long‑term care needs are rising

• Workplace flexibility is shrinking

• Economic pressures are intensifying

• Federal and state policy gaps are widening

• Caregivers are absorbing every shock - alone

Mark’s essay blends lived experience with economic analysis and a clear call to action. It highlights why 2026 will be a breaking point unless Colorado and the nation take meaningful steps to support long‑term caregivers through workplace accommodations, flexible work options, and sustainable policy reform.

Professionals Who Care stands with every family navigating this crisis. We stand with every worker forced to choose between employment and caregiving. And we stand with every advocate pushing for change.

This is the moment to act - before the collapse becomes irreversible.