By Jennifer Benson, AARP Massachusetts State Director
November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize the people who quietly do some of the most important work in our families and communities.
They are spouses helping with medications. Adult children driving a parent to appointments. Friends picking up groceries. Neighbors checking in. They may not always call themselves caregivers, but across Massachusetts, more than 1.4 million adults provide care for a family member or friend. Across the country, that number is 63 million Americans.
And caregiving is rarely just one task. Family caregivers help with everything from meals and transportation to managing finances, medications and medical care. Many are doing all of that while also holding down a job, raising children or managing their own health.
The value of that care is tremendous. Family caregivers in Massachusetts provide an estimated $22 billion in unpaid care each year. But caregiving isn’t really about numbers. Behind every statistic is someone doing their best to be there for a person they love.
That’s why AARP Massachusetts is marking National Family Caregivers Month with opportunities throughout November to help caregivers find information, practical tools and connection.
The month includes a Nov. 4 online conversation about caregiving through a cultural lens, recognizing that every family’s caregiving journey can look different. On Nov. 10, another online session will look at how technology can make some caregiving responsibilities a little easier.
We’re also taking the conversation into communities. We’re holding Caregiver Pit Stops in Worcester, Springfield and Pittsfield. We’ll have caregiving resource bags you can take home.
These are just a few of the events happening this November.
And support doesn’t end when November does. At AARP’s Caregiving Resource Center, caregivers can find straightforward help for the questions that come up along the way—from planning and navigating health care to handling difficult conversations and caring for their own well-being. It’s a place to turn when you need guidance, a useful tool or simply a reminder that others understand. Visit aarp.org/caregiving.
National Family Caregivers Month is an opportunity to recognize what caregivers give every day, often without much fanfare. So, this November, take a moment to recognize a caregiver in your life. And if you are that caregiver, remember that taking care of yourself matters, too.
A little information, support and connection can go a long way.
Learn more about caregiving resources, November events and what AARP Massachusetts is doing in communities across the Commonwealth at aarp.org/ma.
Jennifer Benson is the State Director for AARP Massachusetts. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
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