Tuesday, November 14, 2023
November is a time to support and honor our nation’s vital unpaid family caregivers. Families are often the primary source of support for older adults and people with disabilities. In fact, today in America, more than 53 million family caregivers provide unpaid care, an economic value totaling more than $470 billion.
That’s why every November we celebrate National Family Caregivers Month. While family caregivers should be celebrated every day, this is a time to expressly recognize and honor caregivers nationally, raise awareness around caregiving issues, educate communities, and work to increase support for our nation’s caregivers.
A great way to observe family caregiver awareness month is to notice and support the caregivers in your own life. This can range from a simple recognition of their hard work and sacrifice, to assisting them with respite care or household chores, and/or advocating for them with your voice and your votes. Supporting caregivers with information, resources, and accessible services can help them maintain their own health and better care for their loved ones.
It’s important for caregivers to take care of their own physical and mental health. If you are caring for a loved one, please consider taking a moment to complete our caregiver assessment screening tool. This short survey will evaluate your current level of need for support. Once you submit the survey, a local case manager will contact you to offer personalized resources based on your unique needs, to help you on your caregiving journey.
At AgeGuide, there are a variety of caregiver support services available:
- Referrals to available services and resources
- Respite services so you can take a break
- Financial support to help your loved one remain in their home
- Legal Assistance
- Counseling services and support groups to help you through troubling times
- Training & Education to help you take care of yourself or to learn caregiving skills to aid your loved one
- Assessments to create a personal roadmap to meet your unique needs
- Relatives Raising Children Program (Grandparents Raising Grandchildren)
Each county in our service area (DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will County) has a specific caregiver service provider. There are no income or asset restrictions for these services. To read more about each service, and to find which agency provides that service in your area, visit the AgeGuide website.
