Comfort Keepers® Gets Behind PBS “Caregiving” Documentary That Sheds Light on History, Challenges and Triumphs of Caregiving in America

Comfort Keepers Helps Brings this Powerful Documentary to Homes Across America

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As an advocate of positive, joyful living, Comfort Keepers^®, a market-leading provider of uplifting home care for seniors and adults who need assistance, is proud to announce its sponsorship support for Caregiving, the documentary for PBS created with executive producer Bradley Cooper highlighting the challenges and triumphs of caregiving in America.

Narrated by award-winning actress Uzo Aduba (The Residence, Painkiller, Orange is the New Black) the two-hour documentary is centered on the personal experiences of caregivers providing for loved ones, and the challenges and triumph they face each day. These stories are interwoven with the broader context of the cultural and economic conditions in the U.S., leading to a care system tipping into crisis. According to recent studies¹, in addition to five million paid caregivers nationally, it is estimated that between 53 million to 105.6 million U.S. adults provide unpaid caregiving for ill, aging, or disabled family members and friends. In addition, an estimated 5.4 million children and adolescents in the U.S. are direct caregivers. Caregiving examines the historical and contemporary efforts to address this often unrecognized and rapidly increasing need. Caregiving is a production of Cooper’s production company, Lea Pictures, and public media station WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media.

“At Comfort Keepers, we are dedicated to elevating the human spirit by supporting caregivers and their loved ones,” said Natalie Black, CEO of Comfort Keepers. “Supporting this transformative documentary aligns perfectly with our mission to foster understanding, compassion, and hope. This project celebrates the unwavering dedication of caregivers, shining a light on the people who are on the frontlines of the caregiving movement, while sparking meaningful conversations to inspire lasting change.”

Caregiving is set to premiere June 24, 2025 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), and on the PBS YouTube Channel. Caregiving will be available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS App beginning Tuesday, May 27, 2025. The project also includes 18 short films that examine current caregiving experiences, programs and perspectives — at individual, family and community levels. The Caregiving short films began debuting in October 2024 and are premiering through May 2025, available on wellbeings.org and the Well Beings YouTube Channel. The public is invited to help share the complexity, delights and difficulties of caregiving via #ShareYourCaregivingStory on social media or the We Are Well Beings Storywall at wellbeings.org/share-your-story. There, Cooper invites the public in a #ShareYourCaregivingStory video to join him in sharing personal reflections, photos, videos, and stories while building a community of understanding about caregiving.

Saudia Gajadhar, Chief Happiness Officer at Comfort Keepers, added, “Caregiving is a journey of love and resilience. Through supporting this documentary, we aim to bring much-needed recognition and resources to caregivers while fostering a sense of community for these unsung heroes.”

Caregiving includes a comprehensive engagement campaign supported by 330+ PBS stations across 150 markets. This effort extends to educational materials, digital content, and a multi-channel marketing initiative, ensuring the message reaches caregivers where they are.

“Making this film has been an inspiring and humbling experience,” said Chris Durrance, Director and Senior Producer, Caregiving. “Over the past twelve months, the production team and I have traveled throughout the country, spending time with family and professional caregivers of all ages and backgrounds. We have witnessed their tireless work on behalf of the people they love. We have witnessed the isolation so many caregivers feel and the struggles they face navigating complex systems of state and federal support. We have also seen the joy and rewards that come with the unique connection that caregivers experience. We have come to appreciate that every family has a care story and we hope that this film inspires viewers to share their own, building new communities of care that will bring us all closer together.”

The public can join the conversation by using #WellBeings and #CaregivingPBS, visiting wellbeings.org, or following @WellBeingsOrg on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube or Threads.

The company’s caregivers deliver uplifting support to seniors with a refreshing perspective that emphasizes the beauty and richness of life's later chapters. With Comfort Keepers by their side, families can navigate the complexities of aging with confidence, knowing that every moment is an opportunity to create cherished memories and embrace the joy of living. Comfort Keepers has made it their mission to not only help today’s seniors thrive and find joy, but also to invest, inspire and nurture the caregivers who care for them.

For more information about Comfort Keepers services, or to become a caregiver, visit www.ComfortKeepers.com.

References:

¹Statistics sourced from American Association of Retired People (AARP), the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), RAND, PHI and Caregiving Youth Research Collaborative (CYRC) via the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY).

Sources:

Caregiving in the United States in 2020 (June 18, 2020) https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/caregiving-in-the-united-states/

Valuing the Invaluable 2023 Update: Strengthening Supports for Family Caregivers (March 8, 2023) https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/valuing-the-invaluable-2015-update/

America’s Military and Veteran Caregivers: Hidden Heroes Emerging from the Shadows (September 24, 2024) https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3212-1.html

Direct Care Workers in the United States: Key Facts 2023 (September 11, 2023) https://www.phinational.org/resource/direct-care-workers-in-the-united-states-key-facts-2023/

Report on Caregiving Youth in the U.S.: Progress and Opportunity (December 2023) https://aacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CY-White-Paper_Final-.pdf

About Comfort Keepers^®

For 25 years, Comfort Keepers^® has been Elevating the Human Spirit^SM through its in-home care network for seniors and other adults by empowering them to maintain their independence and realize joy in the everyday moments. Comfort Keepers operates a franchise network that has grown to more than 600 locations in the U.S. and Canada, serving hundreds of thousands of clients since 1998. The company’s nationwide network employs thousands of caregivers, also known as Comfort Keepers^®, who deliver joy through interactive caregiving by continually communicating with, involving, and engaging with seniors in everyday tasks and activities. For more information, visit ComfortKeepers.com.

About Well Beings & Caregiving

Caregiving is part of Well Beings, the multiplatform campaign from WETA that launched in 2020 to address the critical health needs in America through original broadcast and digital content, civic engagement campaigns, and impactful local events. The Caregiving national outreach, education, and engagement campaign with Well Beings launched in Fall 2024 at the United Nations and seeks to spotlight the issues caregivers face, build awareness for community programs, and sustain caregivers at a time of unprecedented need.

Caregiving is a production of Lea Pictures and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media. Support for Caregiving is made possible by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.; Comfort Keepers; Care.com; Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation; Richard King Mellon Foundation; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Ford Foundation; Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation; NextFifty Initiative (Next50); National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); PATH Foundation; Care for All with Respect and Equity (CARE) Fund; The John A. Hartford Foundation; and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. National outreach and engagement partners for Caregiving include Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers; Grantmakers in Aging; Milken Institute | Future of Aging; Global Coalition on Aging; Elizabeth Dole Foundation; National Minority Health Association; Fred Rogers Productions; The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care; American Association of Caregiving Youth; Caring Across Generations; Society for Human Resource Management Foundation; National Alliance for Caregiving; Lutheran Services in America; Center to Advance Palliative Care; PEOPLE; and Forbes.com.