National Family Caregivers Month–Celebrating Caregivers Who Give So Much

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and I want to take a little time to celebrate some very special people–caregivers!

If you’re caring for a child with medical needs, a spouse with a chronic illness, an aging parent or another loved one who depends on you, this month is for YOU!

I’ve been a medical mom for many years now, and I can tell you that caregiving is a journey unlike anything I could have imagined.

It’s filled with love, challenges, unexpected changes, and more appointments and paperwork than anyone should have to keep track of.

And just when you think you have everything figured out, something changes. Again. 

But one thing I have learned along the way is that there’s so much about caregiving that other people never see.

That’s part of what I want to talk about this month.

The Parts of Caregiving People Don’t Always See

When people think about caregiving, they often picture the physical tasks such as giving medication, helping with daily activities, preparing meals, or taking someone to an appointment.  

And those are definitely part of caregiving, there is so much more going on behind the scenes.

There’s planning, scheduling, phone calls, insurance issues, and coordinating with doctors, therapists, nurses, and other providers.

There’s also the mental checklist that seems to run constantly in the background.

Did I remember to order that medication? Is the appointment confirmed? Did I send the paperwork? Was there something else I needed to do that I can’t remember?

And then there’s everything else that comes with ordinary life. The never-ending laundry, groceries, and figuring out what to feed everyone, family responsibilities, and all those things that don’t magically disappear because you are a caregiver. 

Recently, I spent five hours in a recovery room with my daughter following a procedure. She was doing fine–but she was absolutely positive she was in no hurry to leave. That’s not unusual for her! (I think that’s where my love of sloths came from, but that’s a different story.)

It’s one of those things we’ve learned to laugh about, because sometimes humor is all that gets us through the day. If given the choice to laugh or cry, I’ll almost always choose to laugh. It feel so much better.

Of course, the responsibilities waiting at home didn’t go anywhere while we were waiting at the hospital. 

That’s caregiving. Sometimes the day you planned and the day you actually have are two very different things!

Caregivers Need Care, Too

There’s something I think we need to talk about more often. Caregivers have needs, too.

I know, right! But seriously, it’s so easy to become focused on caring for someone else that we stop paying attention to ourselves.

We put off appointments, ignore how tired we are, (Not a good idea!) and tell ourselves we’ll do something when things settle down. 

The problem is, things don’t always settle down. 

I’ve learned that self-care doesn’t have to be something elaborate or fancy, or even time consuming (that’s the hardest part), Sometimes it is really just the little things. Maybe it’s enjoying your favorite drink while it’s still cold, (or hot).Stepping outside for a few minutes, reading something encouraging, or spending a little time doing something you enjoy, 

For me, sometimes it’s just “hiding’ in the bathroom for a few minutes and doing some calming breaths when things are really hard is some of the best self care I can do at the time. 

Sometimes self care means accepting help, saying no to another responsibility or recognizing you simply can’t do everything in one day.–and that’s okay.

You don’t have to earn the right to take care of yourself. 

Finding Strength For The Journey

My faith is an important part of my caregiving journey. That definitely doesn’t mean I have all of the answers, or that I never get discouraged.  There have been more discouraging seasons than I care to remember, and I am sure there will be more.

I find comfort in knowing that God is with us through every season of our lives, including the ones we would not have chosen.

Isaiah 40:29 in the New Living Translation reminds us: 

“He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.”

I love that reminder because there are days, even weeks, when we simply don’t have that much of our own strength left. We don’t have to pretend that everything is fine or that we can handle everything on our own. We can bring our worries, frustrations, and anxiety to God, and trust Him to help us through another day. 

Sometimes, that is exactly what we need–strength for today, without having tomorrow figured out yet.

This month, I hope you’ll join me in celebrating caregivers–not just for everything they do, for who they (we) are.

You Are More Than A Caregiver

I need you to hear this–Caregiving is something you do, not who you are.

You are still a person with interests, dreams, hopes, and things that bring you joy.

I love my daughter will all that is within me. Caring for her is an important part of my life, but I am still a wife, a mom, a daughter, a business owner, and a person who has interests and goals of my own. 

Those parts of my life matter, too. And the same is true for you. (For a long time, I didn’t. I had completely lost who I was as a person, and I don’t want you to be in that place).

It’s not selfish to want time for yourself. It’s not wrong to have dreams and goals outside of caregiver even though sometimes it may feel like it. 

You matter as a person, not because of everything you do for someone else, but simply because you are a unique person created by God, and He created you for more thank just caregiving.

We Are Celebrating Caregivers This November

Throughout November, I’ll be sharing encouragement,practical ideas, faith-filled reminders, and opportunities for caregivers to connect through FaithLife. My hope is that you’ll find something here that makes your day a little brighter, helps you feel understood, or reminds you to take care of yourself along the way.

Whether you’re a medical mom like me, caring for an aging parent, supporting a spouse or walking another caregiving journey, I want you to know you are welcome here.

Our circumstances may be different, but there are so many things we can understand about each other’s experiences. 

And sometimes, just knowing someone else understand makes all the difference.

You can see our social media posts on Facebook and Instagram.

A Little Reminder Before You Go

As we begin National Family Caregivers Month, I want to know this:

You don’t have to do everything perfectly.

You don’t have to be strong every moment.

And, You don’t have to have all of the answers. (I sure don’t!)

You are seen. You are valued. And you deserve care and encouragement, too.

Let’s Stay Connected!

If you are a caregiver looking for a little encouragement, practical ideas, and faith-filled support, I’d love to have you join the FaithLife community!

When you subscribe to my email list, you will receive encouragement, helpful planning tips, self-care ideas, and updates about resources designed to support caregivers.

Sometimes it’s just nice to hear from someone who understands what life as a caregiver can look like. If you would like to learn more and join my email community, you may click the link below to sign up. And don’t worry, I have enough to do without spamming your inbox.😜 I truly want our content to have value for you. If at any time you decide it’s not, you can just click the “unsubscribe” button.

If you are looking for practical tools to help you organize the many moving pieces of caregiving, you are always welcome to explore the printable planners, journals, and other resources at FaithLife Planners. You can check out our website at the link below.

I’m so glad you’re here! ❤️

JOIN THE EMAIL LIST HERE: https://faithlife.myflodesk.com/faithlifenewsletter

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