National Family Caregivers Month by Dr. Cheryl Merchant

November is National Family Caregivers Month… Let’s Recognize, Celebrate, and Support Our Sister-Caregivers

Many sisters are, or have been, caregivers. Caregiving, on the one hand is rewarding, but on the other hand, it is challenging. Caregivers are likely to be female, and research (Administration for Community Living, 2021) suggests that nearly 15 million Americans provide “unpaid” care to older individuals, or to someone who is physically or mentally challenged. So, our mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins and sister-friends are providing most of the “unpaid” care. However, paid, or unpaid, our sisters are loyal and are providing loving care to others while also trying to have some sense of selfcare and life outside of caregiving.

The reality of all this through the lens of mental health is that caregivers who provide constant care are likely to experience challenges to their own physical and emotional health. Different emotions may likely emerge like frustration and even anger. Frustration may lead to anger, and anger is a major sign that a sister is overwhelmed – in overload. So, what can she do?

The first thing I want to encourage her to do is to try her best not to allow feelings of guilt overpower her. Why? This question brings me to the second thing. I want to encourage her to remember that she is doing the best that she can. The following are more tips for sister-caregivers, and I hope they may be helpful in bringing balance to their lives: • Ask for help when you need help. • Spend time with friends. • Connect with a support group. • Try to take short breaks throughout the day. • Try to do things you like to do (e.g., hobbies; walking; journaling; listening to your favorite music). • Practice mindfulness (e.g., deep breathing; grounding; body scan). So, let’s recognize and celebrate our sistercaregivers who give so much of themselves to help maintain the well-being of others. Give her a call. Give her a shout-out on social media. Send her flowers. Send her a ‘thinking of you’ card. Just do something thoughtful to let her know you care.

More Tips from Caregivers Action Network (CAN)

https://www.caregiveraction.org/resources/ 10-tips-family-caregivers 2 of 2

References

Administration for Community Living. (2021, October 21). National Family Caregivers Month: About the Observance. Retrieved from https://acl.gov/news-andevents/downloads-andmultimedia/NFCM

Caregivers Action Network. (n.d.). 10 tips for family caregivers. Retrieved from https://www.caregiveraction.org/resources/ 10-tips-family-caregivers

©2021 Dr. Cheryl Merchant – All Rights Reserved.