Recognizing the Caregivers in Your Life: Simple Ways to Support Them

According to the Caregiver Action Network, more than 63 million Americans care for a loved one with health needs. Whether it’s a child with special needs, an aging parent, or a spouse with a chronic or terminal illness, caregivers give enormous amounts of time, energy, and love.

As we recognize National Family Caregivers Month, I invite you to look around and notice the caregivers in your life. If you are a caregiver, I hope this week’s blog reminds you that you’re seen and supported.

Katie and I learned a lot while caring for our late spouses, Dave and Kris. Given their terminal cancer diagnoses, our journeys providing care for them were intense but short.  So while every situation is different, these five lessons may help you support a caregiver, or feel supported if you are one.

1. Honor a Caregiver’s Desire to Be There

People often offered to accompany Dave or Kris to doctor’s appointments so we could “get a break.” We appreciated the thought, but we didn’t want to hand that role off. Being present felt right.  We wanted to hear the updates, celebrate the wins, and be there on the hardest days. If a caregiver in your life feels the same, don’t push too hard for them to step away. Support their desire to stay close.

2. Ask and Invite, But Don’t Take “No” Personally

Caregivers may decline help for many reasons: overwhelm, pride, timing, or simply not knowing what they need. Don’t stop offering. Sometimes the invitation alone is what lifts their spirits.

And if you’re the caregiver, say yes when you can. Accepting help isn’t a burden; it gives others a chance to show love and gives you space to rest.

3. Every Caregiver Needs a “Team Captain”

One of the best gifts you can offer is coordination. A friend from church became Katie’s point person.  She kept friends and loved ones updated on Dave’s health, organized meals, and managed schedules. If you can step into this role, you’ll free the caregiver to focus on what matters most.

4. Don’t Ask; Just Do

Instead of, “Let me know how to help,” consider how you might help the caregiver with daily chores as you do your own. For example, after you mow your own lawn, drive to the caregiver’s home and mow theirs, too. Or when you’re grocery shopping, grab a few staple items for your caregiver’s family as well.  Other ideas include driving kids to practice, doing laundry, or delivering dinner. Small acts lighten a caregiver’s load without adding another decision to their plate.

5. Recognize and Appreciate

Caregiving is often invisible work. A sincere “thank you” can mean more than you know, especially coming from the person receiving the care. Kris found ways to express her appreciation, and it strengthened us both.

Caregivers can return that gratitude too. After Kris passed, I did my best to note acts of kindness shown to our family and later wrote handwritten thank-you notes. Multiple people told me how much it meant to be acknowledged.

To every caregiver: thank you. Your love, your work, and your resilience make a profound difference.

Best regards,
Corey