Posted on October 27, 2026

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and at ADAO, we think about the caregivers behind every person living with a disease or disability.

Caregivers are the spouse who goes to every appointment, the daughter who learns the medication schedule, the friend who answers the phone at 2 a.m. This month, we pause to say: we see you, thank you, and we stand with you. 

The scale of this work is bigger than most people realize. Sixty-three million Americans, nearly 1 in 4 adults, are currently family caregivers, up 20 million from 2015, according to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. Most are unpaid. Nearly 1 in 4 feel isolated, and about 1 in 5 report fair or poor health because of the care they give.

Gratitude counts most when it comes with help. If a caregiver is in your life, try one of these this month:

  • Offer something with a date on it. “Let me know if you need anything” puts the work back on them. “I’ll bring dinner Thursday” does not.
  • Take over one recurring task, like the pharmacy run, the grocery list, or Saturday afternoons with their loved one.
  • Ask how the caregiver is really doing, and give them time to answer.
  • Learn about the disease, including symptoms, treatments, and what caregiving entails for this person, so they don’t have to explain it again and again.
  • Keep showing up. Check in next month, and the month after.

If you are the caregiver, we ask that you please remember: You are allowed to rest. Keep your own appointments. Accept the casserole. Ask for help by name. And find people who understand, even if it is only a five-minute call.

You do not have to figure this out alone. Family Caregiver Alliance, National Alliance for Caregiving, and ADAO offer guidance, peer support, and advocacy. 

Caregiving is hard, daily work that mostly goes unseen. This November, don’t just think about the caregivers you know. Call one. Bring dinner. Take a shift.

In unity,

Linda Reinstein

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