Americans know they sacrifice them to provide care for theirelderly parents, but they probably don't just how high a price theyare paying. A study released Tuesday by the MetLifeMature Market Institute, the National Alliance for Caregivingand the Center for Long Term Care Research and Policy at NewYork Medical College, put that cost at $3 trillion.

The study, The MetLife Study of Caregiving Costs toWorking Caregivers: Double Jeopardy for Baby Boomers Caring forTheir Parents, shows that on average, each individualcaregiver loses income of more than a quarter-million dollars. Menlose less than women, coming in at $283,716; women lose $324,044.And that loss is on the rise: The current percentage of adultsproviding care to an elderly parent has tripled since 1994.

Drawing on data from the National Health and Retirement Study(HRS), researchers looked not only at the extent that adultsprovide care, but also at the toll the position of caregiver takeson careers, wages and retirement income. Sandra Timmermann, director of the MetLife MatureMarket Institute, said in a statement, "Nearly 10 million adultchildren over the age of 50 care for their aging parents. Assessingthe long-term financial impact of caregiving for aging parents oncaregivers themselves, especially those who must curtail theirworking careers to do so, is especially important, since it canjeopardize their future financial security."

Not only does caregiving come with a financial cost, it takesits toll on health as well. Adults in the 50+ age group who providecare are more likely to report fair or poor health, as opposed tothose who do not act as caregivers. A quarter of all adultchildren, whether working or not, but mostly baby boomers, areproviding care for their parents.

Daughters do the heavy lifting—28% are providing basic care suchas dressing, feeding and bathing—while sons are more likely toprovide financial support (providing $500 or more within the pasttwo years). Only 17% of men are likely to provide basic care. Womenlose more income because of leaving jobs early—$142,693 in wages,whereas men will lose $89,107—and their Social Security benefits godown by $131,351. Men, oddly enough, will lose more in SocialSecurity than women, at $144,609. The pensions of both take hits,too, "very conservatively" estimated at $50,000; the same for menas women.

The MetLife Study of Caregiving Costs toWorking Caregivers provides updated information firstreported in two MetLife studies: Sons at Work: Balancing Employment andEldercare (2003) and The MetLife Juggling Act Study: Balancing Caregivingwith Work and the Costs Involved (1999).

The study points out that employers can provide retirementplanning and stress management information, and can provideassistance such as flex-time and family leave. It also points outthat individuals should consider their own health when caregivingand should prepare financially for their own retirements. The studyshows that more states are considering laws to provide for paidfamily leave, especially as it is accrued through workers'compensation funds, and federally, the voluntary long-term careinsurance program that is part of the Affordable Care Act willlikely increase public awareness of the issue.

Gail Hunt, president and CEO of the National Alliance forCaregiving, said in a statement, "There is … evidence thatcaregivers experience considerable health issues as a result oftheir focus on caring for others. The need for flexibility in theworkplace and in policies that would benefit working caregivers islikely to increase in importance as more working caregiversapproach their own retirement, while still caring for their lovedones."

Timmermann added, "As the percentage of employees who arecaregivers continues to grow, there will be greater demand onemployers for help and support. There are many workplace resourcesand programs that can be made available that benefit allstakeholders since financial stress can negatively impact physicalhealth and workplace productivity."