Honoring Caregivers during National Family Caregivers Month

Throughout November, we recognize National Family Caregivers Month. As defined by Caregiver.org, a family caregiver is “any relative, partner, friend or neighbor who has a significant personal relationship with, and provides a broad range of assistance for, an older person or an adult with a chronic or disabling condition.” 


Facts about Caregivers*
• 1 in 5 Americans are caregivers (53 million adults in the U.S.)
• The average caregiver provides 23.7 hours per week caring for their loved one
• 1 in 4 caregivers reported they find it difficult to manage their own health on top of being a caregiver

Our Team
In honor of this month, we asked our team members to share their words of inspiration for fellow caregivers. We want to acknowledge our team members who are family caregivers –many responded to our company-wide survey and provided their support through words of advice and encouragement for fellow family caregivers. 

 

Wall of Inspiration 

AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy team members shared the following words of encouragement and inspiration for caregivers. 

"Be kind to yourself. Your work is motivated by a higher love."

"Patience. Try to remember no one likes to have to rely on someone else for his or her needs to be fulfilled."

"There is no shame in feeling relief when a loved one departs after a long, drawn-out illness."

"Practice patience."

"Take time to take care of yourself, too. You cannot give 100% if you don't have 100% to give."

"Make time to decompress and don’t forget to take care of you!"

"Try your best to take care with love and patience."

"Offer unconditional love to your loved one. If they are battling a disease, oftentimes, there are side effects that are out of their control (e.g., changes to personality, demands of your time, etc.). Don't engage in conflict with your loved one. The disease may be the cause. Take care of yourself as you journey on this caregiver role, too. In addition, try your best not to feel guilty for saying no, needing a break or asking for help."

"Know you are making a BIG difference in someone's life."

"Although days may get rough and some people may not realize what is going on, know that your caring and loving ways are very much appreciated, not only from the patient but everyone else as well."

"Love and provide the care they need because just remember, one day you will get old and may need some assistance."

"Stay encouraged, have a great support team, and know that what you are doing is not a job it is an act of kindness, compassion, and love."

"Be understandable and patient, be aware of their emotional needs, listen to them, and give your attention when interacting."

"Practice self-care. We need time to de-stress by taking time to walk or workout daily, and to have a decent diet. We can't take care of others if we are not ensuring our own mental and physical health are balanced."

"Remember to always take care of yourself, otherwise you can’t take care of them."

"It takes a lot of patience to be a caregiver. When it feels like it becomes too much, stop and take a deep breath and remember that you are needed. It could be the other way around and you would want someone to take the time and be patient with you."

"Have patience and a little humor."

"Being responsible for someone takes the same amount of strength and courage as needing someone to take the responsibility!"

"Take it one day at a time and sometimes even one moment at a time. Some days will be good and some days will be hard. But know you are doing this because you love them and they need your help."

"Put your oxygen mask on first. If you don't care for yourself, you won't be able to care for your loved one. Make self-care a priority even if that means you have to schedule it your calendar. Caring for yourself is just as important as caring for your loved one."

 

Caregiver Resources
If you or someone you know is a caregiver, below are some helpful resources and advocacy groups to check out.
• AARP
• CancerCare
• Family Caregiver Alliance
         o Support groups
• National Alliance for Caregiving

 

Sources:
1 https://www.caregiver.org/resource/definitions-0/
2 https://www.caregiving.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AARP1316_RPT_CaregivingintheUS_WEB.pdf

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