November is National Family Caregivers Month

Hello again from Beth, one of your Pharmacy Chicks! The Caregiver Action Network began promoting national recognition of family caregivers in 1994. President Bill Clinton signed the first Presidential Proclamation recognizing National Family Caregivers Month in 1997 and every president since has issued an annual proclamation recognizing and honoring family caregivers every November. This year on October 31, 2022, President Joe Biden issued his proclamation recognizing November 2022 as National Family Caregivers Month. The theme for this year’s recognition is “Caregiving Around the Clock” and #CaregivingHappens.

This year’s White House proclamation recognizes the sacrifices that caregivers make. The following is the beginning of the proclamation.

“During National Family Caregivers Month, we recognize the love and sacrifice of more than 50 million Americans providing crucial care and medical assistance to parents, children, siblings, and other loved ones, ensuring their health and dignity.

Today, far too many Americans find themselves sandwiched between the enormous tasks of supporting aging parents, raising young children, and earning a living. Others bear the responsibility of caring for loved ones with a disability or looking after wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans who have sacrificed so much for us all. The truth is, at some point in our lives, each of us will likely need to be a family caregiver.”

According to the 2020 Caregiving in the U.S. report, 21.3% of Americans are caregivers and have provided care to an adult or child with special needs in the past 12 months. This is an estimated 53 million caregivers, up from 43.5 million in 2015. Many of these caregivers, about 24%, care for two or more individuals. This has increased from 18% in 2015. Americans continue to accept the responsibility to provide unpaid care to family, friends, or neighbors who need assistance. The Caregiving in the U.S. report indicates several explanations for the increase in numbers from 2015 to 2020.

Increasingly aging baby boomer population that requires more care

Workforce shortages in health care or long-term care services

Home and community-based services facilitated by states

Another explanation of this increase in caregiving is that many Americans are now recognizing that the daily and weekly activities they are performing to support family members and friends that have health or functional limitations is actually caregiving.

Many caregivers must work and also provide care, which creates conflicts between their responsibilities. Caregiving takes a toll on the caregiver emotionally, physically, and financially. Almost half of caregivers are over the age of 50, so they are vulnerable to a decline in their own health. Since there are so many things to remember, worry about, and do, caregivers usually neglect their own health and well-being and often become isolated.

The following from the Caregiver Action Network talks about the reality of caregiving.

“For National Family Caregivers Month 2022, the #CaregivingHappens campaign reflects your reality that often caregiving just happens.

Caregiving happens when you’re grocery shopping or in a meeting. Caregiving happens when you’re trying to get out the door to go to work and it happens when you least expect it.

#CaregivingHappens raises awareness of your role as a family caregiver as people realize that you may be running late because you’re picking up your loved one from chemo or your friend understands that you’re not avoiding them, you’re caring for your mom with Alzheimer’s.

#CaregivingHappens when you’re busy with something else or have plans. It may make you miss meetings or other appointments.

When #CaregivingHappens, it’s not always convenient or expected. We understand, and we get it.”

Every day at the pharmacy, I interact with multiple individuals that are providing care for a parent, spouse, special needs adult or child, relative, friend, or neighbor. I see many grandparents that are caring for their grandchild or great-niece/nephew. The sacrifices made by these caregivers, often a lifetime of sacrifices, so often go unrecognized. I know that I don’t do enough to let these caregivers know that I appreciate the sacrifice they have made and that I recognize the obstacles that they face every day. I want to challenge everyone that is reading this article to take the time during the upcoming holiday seasons to recognize and encourage at least one caregiver. Let them know that you appreciate the sacrifices they have made and the work that they are doing. Even offer to provide them a few hours of rest by volunteering to help them or run errands for them. Make it a priority, especially during this holiday season, to help a caregiver in White County in 2022!

Remember, you can always stop by and see me at Sparta Drug Center or Jennifer at Payless Family Pharmacy with any questions you have about any of our topics or other healthcare needs. Pharmacy Chicks out!