Millions of families shoulder the care of a loved one living with dementia, yet the mounting physical, emotional, and financial strain on these caregivers is rarely treated as a medical emergency. “A Hidden Crisis,” an NEJM Graphic Perspective, casts this burden itself as a public‑health threat: when exhausted caregivers can no longer manage daily medications, nutrition, or safety checks, patients are at high risk for injury, hospitalization, or premature nursing‑home placement.
