Did you know that November is National Family Caregivers Month - a month to honor, support and empower unpaid family caregivers? Courage to Caregivers is a nonprofit located in Northeast Ohio that serves caregivers nationwide. Our mission is to provide hope, support and courage to caregivers, family members and loved ones of those living with mental illness. We are in the caregiver burnout prevention business!
In recognition of November as National Family Caregivers Month, and in honor of family and professional caregivers, Courage to Caregivers will present a free, interactive program, “Preventing Caregiver Burnout by Illuminating Hope,” on November 18 from 7:00-8:30 pm ET. This virtual event will include two components: a guided breathing meditation as an embodied experience focused on hope, and a presentation covering the evidence-based research and science that leads to finding hope and building resilience. Both the meditation and the presentation will be offered to support caregivers in their efforts to model hope and resilience for their families and themselves.
Did you know?
53 million, equivalent to 19% or 1 in 5, Americans provide unpaid care to an adult or child. (Up 3% in the last 5 years.) [National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2020). Caregiving in the U.S.]
14.3 million Americans are caring for someone living with emotional and mental health issues (up 6% since 2015). [National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2020). Caregiving in the U.S.]
Half of caregivers say it is difficult to talk to others about their loved one’s mental or emotional health issues (48%), pointing to the ongoing stigma that surrounds mental illness and, by extension, the unpaid caregiver. About half of mental health caregivers report feeling alone and 63% say they have less time for themselves than they would like, due to caregiving. This combination of stigma and isolation has implications on the caregiver’s well-being: 74% report feeling high emotional stress. About four in ten say they find it difficult to take care of their own health. Half report that caregiving has made their health worse. [National Alliance for Caregiving, Mental Health America and National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2016) On Pins and Needles]