By: Carol W. Cecil, MAEd., Public Health Advisor, Office of Recovery
National Family Caregivers Month is celebrated each November to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. Family caregivers are defined as family members or someone who is identified as “family” who provide assistance and support to an individual with a chronic health condition – including mental health and substance use conditions, disability, or functional limitation. This can include a variety of situations including but not limited to grandparents raising grandkids, teenage son or daughter assisting their parent with a significant health issue, and a parent who is raising their children while taking care of an elderly parent with dementia.
As a parent/caregiver who raised four children, two of whom faced significant behavioral health challenges, I know firsthand how fulfilling, and how exhausting, it can be to raise a family, work full-time, run a household, and meet the specialized needs of children with disabilities. My family and I were fortunate to have a strong support system, including family, a church community, and providers who offered guidance and respite. Even with this support, caregiving impacted our mental wellness, daily decisions, and work-life balance. My own caregiving experience has been a driving force in my 25-year journey of supporting other caregivers and in my role today as a Public Health Advisor at SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery.
It is currently estimated that 53 million American family caregivers are providing care to a loved one. The economic value of these unpaid caregivers equals approximately $600 billion per year. By 2034, for the first time in history, people over 65 will outnumber those under 18, making family caregivers even more essential. Providing care to a loved one can affect the caregiver in many complex ways: financial stressors, emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, social isolation, relationship struggles and so much more.
In 2018, the RAISE (Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, & Engage) Family Caregivers Act was signed into law and directed the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a national family caregiving strategy. An advisory council was created that includes both federal agency representatives as well as non-federal members who have lived experience or represent those with lived experience as family caregivers.
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