National Caregivers Day is a time to recognize the selfless physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual support work of caregivers. In 2015, Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies established National Caregivers Day on the third Friday of February to allow individuals to show appreciation for those who care for others.
Did you know? According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, an estimated 53 million caregivers in the U.S. looked after over 75 million people in 2020. While most caregivers tended to one adult, approximately 15% looked after two adults, and 3% cared for three or more adults.
This Friday, February 17th, 2023, National Caregivers Day reminds us of the importance of honoring, caring, and thanking all caregivers. Caregivers can be family members or friends, professional caregivers, independent caregivers, private duty caregivers, and informal caregivers. Some are not always paid, so it is important to make them feel appreciated and thank them for their long-term commitment.
Caregivers are the people who provide care to family members, friends, or others who need assistance with daily tasks due to physical limitations or illness. They may help with things like cooking meals, cleaning up after themselves, or taking care of bills and finances—or they might be paid workers who help with these responsibilities.
We recognize all of the things caregivers do, from helping with everyday tasks like cooking and cleaning, getting their loved ones to appointments and doctor visits, and even spending time with them in the evenings after work.
Ways to Thank a Caregiver
If you are looking for ideas for how to celebrate National Caregivers Day with your loved ones, here are some tips:
- Give a caregiver in your life a heartfelt card, personalized letter, or flowers.
- Book a massage for them or give a spa gift certificate.
- Call your local hospice for more information about how they can help care for your loved one if they are sick or dying.
- Make plans with your family member or friend who needs assistance.
- Consider donating money or volunteering at a local hospital, hospice, or nursing home.
- Spend time with family members caring for someone else; this could include going out for dinner at their favorite restaurant or just sitting down together for some tea.
- Share this special day on social media with the hashtag #NationalCaregiversDay.
National Caregivers Day is also an opportunity for people who are caregivers themselves to take time off from their duties, so they can rest and relax. This is especially important because being a caregiver can be physically and emotionally exhausting—it’s easy for people caring for loved ones who need constant attention to burn out over time if they don’t take breaks from the caregiving role every once in a while.
How Hospice Can Help
If you’re caring for a friend or family member who has an illness like cancer or Alzheimer’s disease, hospice can help. Hospice provides excellent medical care alongside emotional support and guidance from trained professionals who understand what you’re going through.
In honor of this special day, we’ve put together a list of five ways that hospice can help caregivers:
- Support for patients and families
- Respite services to give families a break from caregiving
- A comprehensive range of pain management services
- Improved quality of life for patients at the end of life
- Emotional support and spiritual guidance
Hospice care is a specialized medical treatment for people who have a serious illness and want to remain at home as long as possible instead of being admitted to a hospital or nursing home. It’s provided by a team of professionals, including doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, therapists, and others who work together to provide comfort and support for patients nearing death and their loved ones who are grieving their loss.
If you are interested in learning how hospice can help caregivers, please reach out to us; we are here to help.