Scientific American’s “Science Quickly” presents a two-part miniseries, “In Sickness and Age,” focused on caregiving challenges. In part one, Tanya Lewis, Scientific American’s senior editor of health and medicine, shares her own experience becoming a caregiver for her mother after a serious illness diagnosis. The episode expands to examine broader issues faced by caregivers, including common stressors and how caregiving affects families. Lewis and colleague Lauren J. Young, Scientific American’s associate editor of health and medicine, consult listeners and explore caregiving as a widespread “crisis,” gathering perspectives on the emotional and practical demands of supporting ill or aging relatives.
Part two looks at the balance between providing care and maintaining personal well-being. It connects caregiving strain to demographic shifts, including people living longer and shrinking family sizes, which can reduce the number of relatives available to share caregiving duties. Young and Lewis visit a support center in Queens, New York, to hear stories from community members about how they cope while trying to protect their own health.
The project is part of “Health Equity Heroes,” described as editorially independent and produced with financial support from Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
