Good afternoon,

Happy National Family Caregivers Month! This November, we invite you to join us in recognizing and celebrating the more than 53 million Americans who provide care to a family member or friend. 

These everyday heroes give their time, energy and compassionate support to family or friend care recipients, many of whom are older adults or children with special needs or other chronic health conditions. On average, more than one in three family caregivers spend more than 40 hours every week performing essential tasks like medication management, meal preparation, complex nursing tasks, financial management and coordination of care and social services. For many, it’s round-the-clock caregiving.

The economic value of this care is an astonishing $600 billion — up from $470 billion in 2017. We as a country owe family caregivers a debt of gratitude for their incredible contribution to us all, and for serving as a social safety net for so many. It’s equally important to recognize the toll that it takes on them to do this unpaid labor that often replaces or is carried out on top of a “regular job.”

Key findings from the Annual Evaluation (FY2022) of the CA Caregiver Resource Centers reveal that family caregivers are undertaking caregiving tasks that are increasingly complex and demanding. As a result, many report diminishing mental and physical health, general well-being and financial security. Family caregivers need the support of all of us. This month, we hope you’ll reach out to help support family caregivers in your personal or professional circles. If you’re a:

Friend of a family caregiver:

• Be there for them by checking in from time to time and providing emotional and social support.
• Give them time to recharge by taking on simple errands, chores or tasks.
• Support legislation that helps caregivers.

Health care or social service provider:

• Ask these two questions in our Family Caregiver Screening Toolkit to identify caregivers and connect them with resources.
• Be an advocate for family caregivers by encouraging and helping them to practice self-care.
• Familiarize yourself with FCA’s many free resources and services available to family caregivers.

A policy professional or legislator:

• Advocate for increased funding for respite services, including adult day programs.
• Increase awareness of Paid Family Leave benefits to care for a seriously ill family members and adopt an inclusive definition of family that includes extended and chosen family members.
• Invest in education incentives for direct care workers, such as CNAs, and social workers who specialize in aging to help address the shortage of professionals in these fields.

A family caregiver:  

• Ask family and friends for help!
• Learn strategies to improve your self-care, starting with this page full of expert advice, tips and guidance (and don’t miss this always-popular fact sheet).
• Understand the emotional side of caregiving and try to practice more self-compassion.
• Check out our newly updated (and free!) CareNav™ and Services by State online tools to help you better navigate your caregiving journey (highlighted here).
• Take advantage of the many free resources and support that FCA has created for caregivers like you — start by signing up for CareNav today!

To all family caregivers out there, we give our deepest gratitude for all you do every day. You are providing care, connection, healing and comfort to so many individuals across the country. Your efforts and energy are helping to create stronger and healthier families and communities. If you’re struggling, we hope you’ll reach out for the support you deserve — from us, from friends or from other agencies. You are not alone!

Check out our National Family Caregivers Month landing page for more information, resources and free tools for family caregivers!