Updated May 2022
Who is reading your healthcare content? Patients, certainly. But also the people caring for them. Caregivers — the children, spouses and loved ones providing care and support to patients — are a huge section of your audience. And one you may be ignoring if you’re not producing caregiver marketing. If “caregivers” haven’t been at the top of your mind (or your content), it’s time to welcome them in.
Almost 53 million Americans are providing unpaid care to a family member or a friend, according to a 2020 survey by The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP. And that number will likely increase: Between 2015 and 2020, the number of caregivers in the U.S. skyrocketed by 9.5 million.
These caregivers are searching online for information and advice to help them support their loved ones. Include them in your target audience and identify specific strategies to reach them. Caregivers can have just as much influence as the family members they care for and are often the decision-makers for choosing hospitals, doctors and treatments.
[bctt tweet=”Caregivers have just as much influence as the family members they care for. They’re often the decision-makers for choosing hospitals, doctors & treatments.” username=”@ahamediagroup”]
People caring for aging loved ones are more likely than the general population to search for health information online, including information about medical problems, treatments and drugs.
Marketers can engage with caregivers through a variety of online tools:
From grocery shopping to performing complex nursing tasks, caregivers are responsible for many aspects of their loved ones’ lives. Caregivers help their loved ones survive in various life areas, known as “activities of daily living” (ADLs). ADLs include maintaining personal hygiene, getting dressed, eating and using the bathroom.
Introduce caregivers to hospital social workers who can connect them with community services, including:
When caregivers feel stretched thin, they may experience caregiver burnout, a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion. Create content about burnout on your website or a caregiver blog. And consider offering additional resources, such as:
Successfully reaching and engaging caregivers is integral to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.
Healthcare marketers always write with empathy to a patient audience. Extend that same supportive tone to caregivers who may be experiencing caregiver burnout and financial strain.
Caregivers may be stressed and overwhelmed by their responsibilities. But most likely, they are also grieving or saddened by the decline of an aging parent or loved one. According to the AARP study, 89% of caregivers are related to the individual they care for.
It’s common for wives and daughters to participate in their loved one’s medical care, but a growing number of men are joining them. In the AARP 2020 survey, 39% of caregivers were men. Plus, 9% of caregivers in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ.
[bctt tweet=”Be inclusive with your caregiver #marketing. 9% of caregivers in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ.” username=”@ahamediagroup”]
Many caregivers feel financial strain, so keep finances, cost and payment information clear and accurate. Help caregivers feel empowered about managing healthcare costs:
When healthcare marketers include a caregiver persona in their marketing strategy, it’s easy to see how some healthcare content leaves caregivers wanting more. Take steps to ensure your content and organization help fulfill those needs so families remain loyal to the healthcare system that’s supported them.
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