Abstract Objectives Most family caregiving research focuses on individuals in midlife and old age, when caregiving responsibilities are likely to emerge and become widespread. However, caregiving begins earlier for some individuals, particularly among those in families with limited resources or disability needs. While research on early caregiving has grown, its long-term health consequences remain understudied. Methods Using a life history calendar from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 12,443), we constructed caregiving histories, including onset age, duration, and caregiver-recipient relationship. We examined whether caregiving that starts earlier in life—particularly before midlife—was negatively associated with later-life mental, physical, and cognitive functioning, independent of other caregiving characteristics and early-life factors. Results Compared with non-caregivers, caregivers exhibited more physical limitations and higher depressive symptoms, but better cognitive function on average. Among caregivers, those who began caregiving before midlife, especially during adolescence or young adulthood, reported more physical limitations, higher depressive symptoms, and poorer cognitive function later in life. These associations remained robust after adjusting for caregiving duration and the caregiver–recipient relationship. Discussion The association between caregiving and health outcomes varies depending on when and under what circumstances caregiving occurs. This study highlights the importance of caregiving timing by demonstrating the long arm of early caregiving on later health outcomes. The finding underscores the need for targeted interventions aimed at young caregivers. Future research should investigate the life-course mechanisms through which early caregiving shapes health trajectories over time.
Lee et al. (2026) studied this question.