PUBLIC HEALTH CORNER: National Family Caregivers Month

Many people help care for a loved one who is aging, living with a disability, recovering from an illness or managing a long-term health condition. Family caregivers may help with daily tasks, transportation, medications, meals, appointments and emotional support. National Family Caregivers Month, observed each November, recognizes these important contributions and highlights the need to support caregivers, too. Caregiving can be rewarding, but it can also bring physical, emotional and financial challenges. Some caregivers balance these responsibilities with a job, raising children or managing their own health needs. Over time, the demands of caregiving can lead to stress, exhaustion, loneliness or burnout, especially when someone feels they must handle everything alone. Caregivers may become so focused on meeting another person’s needs that they put their own well-being aside. However, caring for your own health is an important part of caregiving.

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