Honoring Family Caregivers: You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup
November is National Family Caregivers Month—a time to honor the millions of (mostly) women who quietly hold their families together while juggling jobs, kids, households, and round-the-clock care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, disability, or chronic illness. This isn’t a job you clock out of; it’s love made exhausting, and the fastest way to break is by forgetting that you matter too. Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s the oxygen mask you put on first so you can keep showing up with patience and strength. To every caregiver reading this: you are seen, you are enough, and your well-being is part of the care plan. ❤️ #NationalFamilyCaregiversMonth #CaregiverLife #Caregiving #SelfCareIsntSelfish #CaregiverSupport #FamilyCaregiver #AlzheimersAwareness #SandwichGeneration #CaregiverBurnout #YouMatterToo #RespiteCare #CaregiversMonth
CAREGIVER TIPS
ARD Strategies for Seniors
11/21/20252 min read
Honoring Family Caregivers: You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup November is National Family Caregivers Month
Every November, we pause to recognize the quiet heroes who keep families together when illness or age makes daily life impossible without help. If you’re one of the millions of family caregivers in America, you already know: caregiving isn’t a role you clock in and out of. It’s often a 24/7 commitment, especially when you’re caring for a child with special needs, a spouse with a chronic illness, or a parent with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.
Many caregivers are women juggling full-time jobs, school drop-offs, and their own households while being the primary (or only) support for someone who depends on them completely. Sometimes that loved one lives under the same roof; sometimes they live across town. Either way, the emotional and physical load is enormous.
You matter just as much as the person you care for. Here are practical ways to protect your own health while continuing to give the care your loved one needs:
Put your own oxygen mask on first You’ve heard it on airplanes, and it’s true in caregiving too. When you’re rested, nourished, and calm, you show up as a safer, kinder, more patient caregiver. Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s survival.
Guard your health like it’s part of the job Keep your own doctor and dentist appointments. Get the flu shot, the mammogram, the bloodwork. If you get sick, rest. The household can run on take-out and paper plates for a few days; your long-term health can’t be put on hold.
Sleep whenever (and however) you can Sleep deprivation slows reaction time and clouds judgment; dangerous for both of you. Nap when your loved one naps. Ask a friend or hire help for a few hours so you can get a solid block of sleep. Even one good night makes a difference.
Eat real meals, not just the leftovers You’re already planning and preparing food; double the recipe and sit down to eat at the same time they do. Your body and brain need fuel too.
Move your body every single day A 20-minute walk around the block, gentle stretching while they watch TV, or a quick online yoga video after bedtime; small bursts of movement reduce stress, improve sleep, and protect your back and joints from the physical strain of lifting and helping.
Ask for and accept help The single biggest predictor of caregiver burnout is trying to do it all alone. Respite care, adult day programs, a trusted neighbor who can sit for two hours, delivery groceries, cleaning help; every bit lightens the load. You don’t earn extra points for suffering in silence.
This month, and every month, we see you. We know the love that keeps you going, and we know the exhaustion that comes with it. You are not alone, and your well-being matters; not just for you, but for everyone who depends on you.
If you’re a caregiver reading this: thank you. And please, take care of the caregiver too. That caregiver is you. ❤️