November is National Family Caregivers Month
#CaregivingHappens is the 2022 theme, reflecting the reality that often caregiving happens. Caregiving happens when it’s not always convenient or expected. You may busy with something else or have plans, when you’re grocery shopping, attending or in charge of a meeting, or when you’re trying to get out the door to go to work. Caregiving happens when you least expect it.*
The responsibilities of family caregiving may happen slowly over time. Caregiving may also start suddenly because of a health emergency that changes the life of a loved one as well as your own. Caregivers suddenly find themselves in intensive caregiver on-the-job training with little to no step-by-step guides.
A family caregiver may be a spouse, daughter, son, another family member, friend, or neighbor. Caregivers may feel overwhelmed, thinking there isn’t enough time in the day to work, take care of a home, meet the needs of other family members, and be a caregiver. Your challenge as a family caregiver is learning to juggle all the needs, as well as practice self-care.
The use of the hashtag #CaregivingHappens recognizes the increasing role of the internet, whether it is on a laptop or desktop computer, smartphone, or tablet. While searching the internet using keywords and phrases, hashtags can more easily direct your search to the information you need.
In this edition, learn about hashtags, important education and information sources, read family caregiver stories you can relate to, and so much more.
First, read briefly about what a hashtag is and what it does.
*Caregiver Action Network (formerly the National Family Caregivers Association) began promoting national recognition of family caregivers in 1994.
