IT’S NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH: Just saying thank you isn't enough

Chances are, if you aren’t a family caregiver yourself, you know someone who is. Every day, nearly 129,000 Delawareans help their parents, spouses, siblings, grandparents, neighbors and other loved ones to live independently at home – where they want to be.

November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to highlight the important work these folks do. But simply thanking them isn’t enough. Here in Delaware and across the country, AARP is fighting to support family caregivers and the loved ones they care for.

George Kopie knows first-hand the challenges of being a family caregiver. He was forced to retire early to be a caregiver for his mother. “We live on my mother’s social security, and her prescription drug costs are always challenging,” he said. 

In Delaware family caregivers like George provide numerous hours of unpaid care per year, valued at more than one billion dollars annually. They help their loved ones with medications and medical care, meals, bathing and dressing, chores and much more. It’s a role that can be stressful, exhausting and overwhelming.

That’s why AARP in Delaware is fighting for commonsense solutions to help make caregiving responsibilities a little bit easier.