It’s National Family Caregivers Month!
November is the month when we recognize and give thanks to all Family Caregivers. Family caregivers are people, usually relatives or close friends, who provide physical and/or emotional support to an ill or disabled loved one, especially if the individual is suffering from a mental or bodily condition, addiction, and/or disability. Most caregivers are new to the practice and experience many new and stressful situations, such as administering medicine, assisting with eating meals and performing nursing tasks for the patient. For any new family caregivers, information and emotional support can be found at an organization called, Net of Care. This community network’s primary purpose is to help caregivers cope and find comfort in the experiences they encounter.
Caregiving Around the Clock
Family Caregivers provide aid for their loved ones part-time, but many caregivers also have more caregiving responsibilities at home making it a 24-hour job. This is why the theme for this month is Caregiving Around the Clock. The organization, Caring Village, wants to raise awareness of the stresses involved with caregiving and how to care for yourself if you are a caregiver. Remember today to give thanks to anyone who is providing for an ill or disabled loved one, and to inform them of the resources available should they need any help.
Other Resources:
Sources:
Net of Care. (2018). What is a Family Caregiver? Retrieved from http://www.netofcare.org/content/getting_started/.
Caring Village. (2017). Caregiving Around the Clock. Retrieved from https://www.caringvillage.com/2017/11/20/national-family-caregiver-month/.
Caregiving Action Network. (2017). National Family Caregiver Month. Retrieved from https://caregiveraction.org/national-family-caregivers-month.