Q: What is National Family Caregivers Month?
A: November was first declared National Family Caregivers Month in 1997, and it has been declared every year since by the President in office. It is a time to celebrate, recognize and thank those who provide care for loved ones.
Family caregivers are those who provide unpaid care for a loved one. It could be a parent, spouse, sibling, or friend. The care they provide varies from helping with errands, preparing meals, accompanying to appointments, to helping with personal care, physical assistance, supervision, as well as medical care.
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter famously said, “There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.” Caregiving touches all our lives, and yet it is not talked about enough. November is a time to help bring recognition to the role of family caregivers.
There are over 34 million family caregivers in America, and over 15 million of those caregivers provide care for someone who has dementia. In California alone we have over 6 million family caregivers. Our communities rely on these caregivers to provide the care and supervision needed to adults with physical and mental disabilities.
Despite the large numbers, many in this role feel isolated and alone. The truth is that most family caregivers are multitaskers who do so much for their loved one and often sacrifice their own health and care. One thing I hear a lot is that the emotional toll of worrying all the time and being on call for their loved one 24/7 is exhausting.
Last year in November, I shared in this column how my mother took on the role of caring for my father and was often looking for encouragement that she was doing the right things. So many in the role worry about the choices and decisions they make every day. It is often a thankless job, and your loved one may not be able to tell you if you are doing the right thing for them.
We all need and deserve to be recognized for doing good things. Family caregivers are giving their love, care, time, energy, and often money to help someone in their life. If you are a family caregiver, then allow this to be your “thank you.” Know that so many in our community realize that you are the true backbone of our long-term care system. We thank you for what you do every day for your loved one.
Family caregivers can receive valuable information, resources and support from our County’s Family Caregiver Resource Centers. You can find the one near you by visiting https://www.vcaaa.org/our-services/caregiver-services/ or calling 805-477-7300.
If you are not currently a caregiver, think of someone in your life who is. Make a point to call them or message them with words of encouragement and thanks. Make a choice to brighten their day by acknowledging their role and telling them how impressed you are by them.
A few words can make a world of difference to someone. This National Family Caregiver Month let’s remember to be the champion and the cheerleader for the caregivers in our community.
Martha Shapiro can be reached at Senior Concerns at 805-497-0189 or by email at mshapiro@seniorconcerns.org.
