National Caregiver Month: Be Kind to Yourself This November
National Caregiver Month uses November to recognise the heart and soul put into care that caregivers provide. Acknowledging their incredible work in a time where caregiving is often unpaid and unseen, gives us a chance to unite to give thanks, share stories, educate others, and join together – in both celebration and support.
What is Caregiving?
It’s estimated that there are 50 million unpaid family caregivers, who are providing care alone for all kinds of needs. Caregiving isn’t just physical needs, but emotional, mental, and social needs too. As a result, caregivers can be anyone, of almost any age, and their responsibilities vary wildly, from pivotal check-ins to round-the-clock care. Due to the nature of the work, it can often be isolating for the caregiver, and feeling caregiver burden and burnout are not unusual.
How Can I Support A Caregiver this National Caregiver Month?
National Caregiver Month gives us the opportunity to raise awareness and thanks to the caregivers in our communities. Often the work of caregivers goes unseen or is normalized, and using November as a reminder to thank them for their work is vital. It’s also a perfect time to have conversations around it with the caregiver, to better understand what they’re undertaking. Having a better understanding of what they’re doing, may help you find areas you can offer support. However, as many may never realize the extent of the work being undertaken by the caregiver, simply offering an opportunity to discuss it and share the load can help reduce the feeling of isolation. Check-in on caregivers you know, discover what they need, and signpost them to further support if they might need it. Caregivers shouldn’t need to feel alone.
On a bigger scale, Social Media can play a role in raising awareness of the unseen load. The National Council on Aging provides usable social media messages that can help bring visibility to the issue and invite further conversation..
How Can I Get Support As A Caregiver?
It’s important to remember that caregiving is all year round, and not just to be recognised during November. However, if you are a caregiver, and feel comfortable doing so, share your story and your experiences with friends. This can relieve you of some of the difficulties of it. You may find they are able to help, or just offer a space to better understand what you’re going through. It can be easy to internalize feelings like this, and these can lead to you feeling isolated. It doesn’t have to feel that way.
Caregiver burnout is a real experience, and this is a time to recognise that you should be kind to yourself. If you’re struggling to find yourself outside of the work that you do, it might be time to get some extra support. Talking to a professional who understands the complex feelings and responsibilities of caregiving, how rewarding and how difficult it can be in the same moment, can make a real difference. Therapy can be a difficult step to take, but can help you to find yourself again. Make this National Caregiving Month about you, and don’t hesitate to ask for extra support.
I’m Nina, and I’m here to help. I offer online counseling across California, specializing in providing therapy support for caregivers. For a completely cost-free, judgment-free 15-minute consultation, contact me.
