A Message For National Family Caregivers Month

Washington, DC, Nov. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Family Caregivers Month comes only once a year, but our nation’s family caregivers give lovingly of themselves, caring for their loved ones every day, year-round. November is the time of year when we as a nation reaffirm our support for those who so selflessly give of themselves to provide care for their family, friends, and neighbors.

More Americans are caring for loved ones now than at any other time in our history. In fact, more than 90 million Americans provide care for adults and children who need their help. With their ranks increasing daily, it is crucial that we do all we can to support family caregivers. It’s become a new fact of life that everyone will eventually be faced with the role of caregiving in some form or another at some point in their life.

Whether they are the parents of children with special needs, families and friends of wounded soldiers, a young couple dealing with MS, or adult children caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s, those giving care regularly do so at a tremendous personal sacrifice of time, income, and energy. Family caregivers come from all walks of life, but they have one thing in common: putting their loved ones first, even if that means putting their own lives on hold.

As the nation’s leading family caregiver organization, Caregiver Action Network (CAN) chooses the theme for National Family Caregivers Month annually and spearheads a celebration of National Family Caregivers Month nationally. This year’s theme is “Supercharge Your Caregiving.” Family caregivers are superheroes who rise to the demands and challenges of the caregiver role every day. During National Family Caregivers Month, we want family caregivers to use new caregiving tools to make their lives a bit easier: to keep their loved ones safe; to help manage medications; to unleash the power of medical records; and to connect with other family caregivers for support.

It is appropriate that National Family Caregivers Month occurs during the month of Thanksgiving. National Family Caregivers Month is a time to recognize and respect family caregivers across the country for all they do, for their loved ones, for their communities, and for the nation. This month let us honor those who give of themselves for the health and well-being of their family members, neighbors, and friends, day in and day out.

JOHN SCHALL


About CAN
Caregiver Action Network is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age. CAN serves a broad spectrum of family caregivers ranging from the parents of children with special needs, to the families and friends of wounded soldiers; from a young couple dealing with a diagnosis of MS, to adult children caring for parents with Alzheimer’s disease. CAN reaches caregivers on multiple platforms. CAN (the National Family Caregivers Association) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge.