We’re stoked to celebrate National Family Caregivers Month.
Each year in November, our nation recognizes the contributions and sacrifices that family caregivers, the long term care system of America, make each day in order to care for their loved ones.
According to the 2020 Report, Caregiving in the US, 20% of Americans (or 53 million people) provide care for an adult family member who needs support in the United States.1 In the greater Kansas City area, there are estimated to be nearly 500,000 family caregivers.
Care provided by millions of unpaid family caregivers across the U.S. was valued at $600 billion in 2021, a recent report2 from AARP estimates, a $130 billion increase in unpaid contributions from the 2019 report.
Caregiving is universal. Many people are balancing being parents and caring for aging loved ones or loved ones with a disability, spending an estimated 13 days each month helping with things like shopping, food preparation, housekeeping, laundry, transportation, and giving medication.
This year’s theme is Caregivers Connect, a theme we can really get behind here at Sandwiched.
We’ve been busy building a supportive community for ALL family caregivers in the KC metro. We want to welcome, embrace, support, and celebrate family caregivers on their journeys.
Our mission is to create opportunities for family caregivers to find local support and shared wisdom.
Our vision is for family caregivers to
- recognize their valued role,
- have opportunities to connect with other family caregivers so they do not feel alone
- have a chance to share their knowledge and learn new ways of supporting their carees and themselves on their caregiving journey
Won’t you help us keep it going? Because caregiving is definitely not going to stop happening!
National Family Caregivers Month is a great time to demonstrate your commitment to family caregivers and show them you appreciate their honorable and caring efforts.
There are many ways you can help us continue to help family caregivers in the KC metro.
Let’s partner together to ensure all family caregivers are adequately prepared and supported for their important roles!
Source:
- AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving. Caregiving in the United States 2020. Washington, DC: AARP. May 2020. https://doi.org/10.26419/ppi.00103.001
- Reinhard, Susan C., Selena Caldera, Ari Houser, and Rita B. Choula. Valuing the Invaluable 2023 Update: Strengthening Supports for Family Caregivers. Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute. March 8, 2023. https://doi.org/10.26419/ppi.00082.006
