National Family Caregiver Month is an annual observance held in November to honor caregivers. It was the first time in 1997 that President Clinton proclaimed November to be National Family Caregivers Month. The month-long observance is dedicated to celebrating the significant contributions of families who provide care for loved ones with disabilities, chronic conditions, illnesses, and disabilities of old age.
Family caregivers are individuals who provide care and assistance. They often do so regularly, as well as temporarily or when needed. Family caregiving can take many forms, including:
- assisting with self-care tasks such as attiring, bathing, catering meals, and feeding.
- helping with medication management
- providing companionship
- taking over responsibility for managing finances
- helping with household management responsibilities such as scheduling activities, housekeeping, and grocery shopping
- providing guidance toward long-term goals including education planning and socialization of the person receiving services
National Family Caregiver Month is a designated time for caregivers across the country to receive public recognition for their often under-appreciated work. While the holiday is essential, it’s also important to understand that caregivers come in many forms, from different cultures and classes, and from all walks of life. Caregiving is hard work but many take on this challenge because they want to help those they care about, especially as they face challenging health issues or drive toward recovery.
The face of family caregiving has changed dramatically over the years. FHCS strongly supports the efforts of the government and social service organizations to support family caregivers. We believe people who act as family caregivers are heroes, doing difficult and selfless work. We thank you for your hard work and resilience.
