Caregiving Recognizing National Family Caregivers Month

HouseWorks’ CEO Andrea Cohen founded this company on the principle of delivering the highest quality in-home care. She personally cared for her loving parents. In a sense, they were HouseWorks’ first clients.

There are countless people with stories about caring for a family member or friend. This is why we recognize families this November for National Family Caregiver Month.

In the U.S., there are nearly 40 million unpaid caregivers serving adults. These caregivers are wives and husbands, daughters and sons, family friends and neighbors of all ages. In addition to providing care, many family caregivers have careers and families of their own to support. In fact, more than half of family caregivers work full time, with the average caregiver working 34.7 hours per week.

Family caregivers provide a vast amount of services in the home setting. They are companions, provide emotional support, and offer assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) to their loved ones. When their family members have complex medical diagnoses, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, they can find themselves employing a range of skilled nursing tasks including tube feeding, injections, and medication management. Their willingness to undertake some of the responsibilities of healthcare professionals is amazing.

Of these caregivers, 24% have been caring for their loved one(s) for five years or more. Another 46% have been providing care from six months to four years. This challenging work does not go without its tolls. According to the National Alliance for Caregivers and AARP, “one in five caregivers reports a high level of physical strain resulting from caregiving, while two in five consider their caregiving situation to be emotionally stressful.”

Without them, some family members may not be able to live in their homes. They would miss out on homecooked meals, spending time with grandchildren, and even walks in the neighborhood. We should all take the time recognize these exceptional individuals in our communities. Their help and support create a better quality of life for those they care for and benefit our society altogether. It is no wonder that an entire month is dedicated to honoring our family caregivers.

For more information about NFCG Month please visit: https://caregiveraction.org/national-family-caregivers-month