Like many of us, I’ve worn many hats in my life. Daughter, wife, student, friend. But the hardest one I’ve worn by far is caregiver. While not everyone might be a caregiver in their lifetime, caregiving is often thought of as a universal experience, because you will either be one, need one, or both at once.
I’ve spent National Family Caregiver Month, which takes place every November, reflecting on what it means to be a caregiver, particularly poignant timing as I return to the role. I’m greeted by the familiar feeling of each day never looking the same, and the nightly fear of what challenges the next day might bring. The familiar guilt when you take time for yourself, and, worse yet, when you enjoy it.
Caregiving can be incredibly fulfilling and the ultimate act of love, but it can be hard to feel it between juggling doctors’ appointments, filling and sorting medications, navigating insurance, and all of the dozens of other items on the to-do list. It’s the proverbial pouring into another cup from your own, even when yours is almost empty. And on the long nights, with no training or no roadmap, it can feel difficult and lonely.
Caregiver burden is highlighted in a recent survey conducted by the Alliance, “The Agitation Blindspot in Alzheimer’s Care Survey.” While this survey focuses on the challenging neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer’s the correlation between other conditions is similar: feelings of isolation, emotional fatigue, challenges balancing work and hobbies, difficulty sleeping, and declines in their own physical health are all common situations for caregivers.
While the resilience of caregivers deserves recognition every day, not just the month of November, I appreciate the dedicated time to sit down and reflect. If you’re a caregiver, I encourage you to take a moment — one whole, uninterrupted moment — to acknowledge yourself and to try to fill up your own cup, whatever that looks like for you. To recognize the strength it takes to advocate, organize, comfort, and adapt every single day. To honor the way you’ve grown into a role no one is ever fully prepared for. To give yourself some grace.
We are so grateful for everything caregivers do: the seen, the unseen, the celebrated, and the quietly heroic. National Family Caregivers Month may be coming to an end, but our commitment to uplifting and supporting caregivers continues, because the work they do truly shapes lives, communities, and the world we’re all aging in together.
If you are a caregiver for, or know someone experiencing, neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) of Alzheimer’s, join our virtual webinar Caring Together: Empowering Families and Health Professionals with Tools for Better Neuropsychiatric Symptom Care, on December 8, 12 pm EST, for real-world stories, practical tools, and evidence-based strategies for improving care and communication around NPS. To learn more about NPS, visit the Alliance website.
