2026 FHI Findings: The global caregiving crisis: APAC reaches 53% high-risk, while Canada sees a 33% spike

The latest data from the Family Health Index™ (FHI) shows that caregiving challenges vary significantly by region. While some areas remain stable, others are seeing a notable increase in burnout risk. Most notably, the high-risk caregiver population in APAC has risen to 51%, a sustained upward trend that highlights a growing need for culturally responsive support.

Addressing isolation and strain in APAC

In APAC, the crisis is rooted in a significant decline in mental wellbeing and a growing sense of social isolation. As modern economic pressures collide with traditional family structures, caregivers in this region are facing a unique set of vulnerabilities:

• Mental health strain (63%): A staggering percentage of APAC working caregivers screen positive for risk of depression or anxiety—a rate 29% higher than Cleo’s global Book of Business (BoB) average.
• Social isolation: 17% report feeling isolated “most of the time or always,” which is 89% higher than the global average.
• Poor health perception: 27% of APAC caregivers rate their own health as poor or fair, a metric 59% worse than the global average, reflecting the severe physical toll of their roles.

A notable surge in Canada

While APAC holds the highest total risk, Canada experienced the most significant escalation this year, with a 33% increase in high-risk members. This shift suggests that even in regions with established social safety nets, the compounding pressure of caregiving is beginning to outpace available support systems.

For global organizations, these regional spikes are a clear signal. When half of a regional workforce is operating at high risk for burnout, caregiving is no longer a private struggle—it is a structural threat to productivity and retention.

Supporting a global workforce

requires different resources than supporting one in Tokyo. To be effective, support must be culturally concordant—addressing the specific mental health stigmas, social isolation factors, and local healthcare navigation challenges unique to each region.

Cleo is built to solve this exact challenge for global organizations. Our platform provides a single, unified experience for employees worldwide, while delivering localized, “boots-on-the-ground” expertise in every market.

By leveraging the FHI data, organizations can move toward a proactive global strategy, providing the localized, clinical support necessary to keep their international talent resilient, regardless of where they are in the world.