By Tanya Hamel
February marks the time of year when winter is coming to an end, and for some, it may have been a very long winter. Depending on where you live and just how much the weather plays a part in your outdoor activities, or lack thereof, you may have a caregiver to thank for keeping the cabin fever at bay and groceries in the fridge.
Here in the United States, we celebrate the third Friday in February as National Caregivers Day. This holiday was created in 2015 by the Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies (PAHHHA) to recognize and honor all the hard work and dedication that caregivers provide year round.
Caregivers can be professionals who work day in and day out, caring for those who may not have anyone in their lives to provide a helping hand, an essential need or just a friendly smile. Caregivers are, more often than not, a family member caring for a loved one, or even a friend or neighbor. Many caregivers are not paid for their services, and many use their own funds to care for their loved ones, some even having to quit their jobs in order to provide care for a seriously ill or disabled family member. In fact, in 2020, about 48 million Americans provided unpaid care to an adult family member or friend, which is about 8 million more than in 2015.
Younger caregivers, who’ve had less time to build up resources, have an especially difficult time providing for themselves or their young families when a loved one needs caring for. These caregivers are trying to hold down full-time jobs and care for their families, and sometimes have to travel long distances to be there for someone they love. A growing trend among the LGBTQ+ communities, who don’t always have children to take care of them in their later years, is to rely on friends or relatives.
So, what can we do? How do we prepare? Start by educating yourself. Options like long-term care insurance, veteran’s benefits and a reverse mortgage could help. Meeting with a certified senior adviser or financial planner is also a good idea.
Of course, most of us are more than happy to care for our loved ones; after all, they loved and cared for us all our lives, but as many of us know, when you’re busy caring for others, you tend to not care for yourself as well as you should. Be sure to check out local support groups, community organizations and nonprofit agencies that have lots of resources on financial counseling, assistance programs and respite care options. Being honest and open when talking about options or financial responsibilities with your loved one or other family members is very important. It doesn’t always have to fall on one person. Remember to give yourself some grace and allow yourself a “time out” if needed.
This year, February 16 is National Caregivers Day. Take a little time out of your day to thank a caregiver for the selfless acts they perform daily, that truly make a difference in another person’s life. You’ll be glad you did.
Tanya Hamel is a community liaison for Health Alliance Northwest, serving Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties in Washington. Tanya was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She loves the outdoors and spending time with her family and their two dogs.
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