November is National Family Caregivers Month

Do you know someone who provides care for a relative or friend? Chances are, you do, and possibly someone in your own family, since more than 63 million, or 1 in 4, Americans serve as "family caregivers" today. And this number continues to grow, filling a crucial and ever expanding need in our communities. These unsung heroes in our midst don’t just run errands or fix leaky faucets; they “provide ongoing complex care,” says the AARP in its July 2025 report, Caregiving in the US.   Some family caregivers are paid; many are not.  Yet, they willingly devote precious time, energy, and often financial support to care for a family member or friend.

Originally the brainchild of the National Family Caregivers Association, now the Caregiver Action Network, the idea to recognize America's family caregivers became a reality in 1997 when Bill Clinton signed his first presidential proclamation in which he declared November as National Family Caregivers Month. Its purpose: to make us more aware of the family caregivers in our midst and of the challenges they face--physical, emotional, and financial; to support caregivers by connecting them with useful resources and services; and work to make positive changes relating to policies that caregivers and their families.

Why November? It seemed the natural choice as the month in which we already celebrate Thanksgiving with its focus on both gratitude and family.

You can learn more about the impetus behind National Family Caregivers’ Month and ways to get involved on The Caregiver Action Network’s website: https://www.caregiveraction.org/https://www.caregiveraction.org/nfc-month/