NATIONAL CAREGIVERS DAY was yesterday!
National Caregivers Day on the third Friday in February!
National Caregivers Day,
An opportunity to honor the 53 million Americans who care selflessly for their aging or disabled loved ones on a daily basis.
Caregivers come in all forms. Some wear uniforms. Some are children taking care of parents. Some are volunteers. Some are set in medical settings such as doctors, nurses, dentists, chiropractors, etc. Some are neighbors who check in regularly to make sure, that the person is not going without.
This National Day of Appreciation gives thanks to all caregivers, but particularly Family Caregivers, who often don’t get paid for their services.
The National Alliance for Caregiving and American Association of Retired Persons reports that, in 2020, an estimated 53 million caregivers in the U.S. cared for an adult or child without getting paid for it.
What’s surprising is that many caregivers are elders themselves, and the number of hours they spend caregiving only increases with time. Being a caregiver is not often something we choose, but something that chooses us.
CAREGIVING BY THE NUMBERS
- Nearly 17% of the US adult population are caregivers.
- More than 75% of caregivers are women.
- 89% of Caregivers provide care for a relative or a loved one.
- Caregivers spend ~24 hours per week providing unpaid care.
- Caregivers provide an estimated $470B of free labor per year.
- Many caregivers feel guilty about prioritizing their needs.
“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.” ― Rosalyn Carter
If you know or have a caregiver, take time to thank them for their dedication and care of our loved ones and/or of you.
Give them a card of thanks. This may seem like a simple gesture, but it will mean a lot to the caregiver. Let them know with a kind word of encouragement.
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