Now that it’s November and we all plan for the upcoming seasonal celebrations, you may want to take time out to celebrate and honor those in your life who perform the challenging (and usually unpaid) task of being a family caregiver for a loved one. November is officially National Family Caregivers Month. Though many family caregivers toil in isolation with little fanfare, that doesn’t mean their numbers are small. In fact, according to the National Council on Aging, more than 53 million family caregivers are providing unpaid care in the United States, with a value of more than $470 billion. A recent survey from the University of Michigan’s Poll on Healthy Aging found that more than one in four Americans over age 50 is now a family caregiver, 66% of whom are caring for an older loved one (our own brief recent survey of agebuzz readers found that nearly all respondents were previously, or are currently, a family caregiver). And one in 10 caregivers in their 50s and early 60s is caring for 3 or more people. Furthermore, nearly ⅔ of those caregivers said they were unaware of such community resources as Area Agencies on Aging that can provide information on resources and support for family caregivers in their community. Clearly, those providing care need all the support and help they can get for this demanding work.

Another recent survey paints an even more disturbing picture. According to a recent report called “America’s Unseen Workforce,” family caregivers actually perform services valued at more than $800 billion, which exceeds the revenue of such large corporations as Apple, Amazon, and Walmart. Moreover, the physical and mental stress of family caregiving is said to cost the US healthcare system an estimated $28 billion, given the physical, emotional, and mental health burdens borne by family caregivers. In fact, a recent study published in Psychosomatic Medicine found that stress from family caregiving can actually take a toll on caregivers at the cellular level. For more on this study, take a deep breath and read here. Another recent study found that spouses and other caregivers for cancer patients face a 10% increased risk of psychological illness and a 28% increased risk for cardiovascular disease after one year of caregiving.

Not only do family caregivers face increased health risks, but they often perform their care with great financial burdens. Long-term care not only puts care recipients in financial peril but those providing the care are also at great financial risk, including a significant financial deficit for their own retirement savings (up to 90% reduced savings compared to non-caregivers) along with out-of-pocket caregiving expenses which can run many thousands of dollars each year. This loss of savings and income can also be accompanied by loss of job opportunities, promotions, and leaves of absence from work or resignations. Coupled with the stress and loneliness of such work, family caregivers are truly unsung heroes with little likelihood of significant policy changes anytime soon. While Medicare currently has a pilot program to help family caregivers of dementia patients, and while Donald Trump mentioned a possible tax deduction for family caregivers during his campaign, the reality of either of these meeting the significant needs of those working as family caregivers is unlikely any time soon.

It’s also interesting to note that many families have nontraditional family structures (such as step-families or unmarried partnerships) that make caregiving responsibilities and obligations that much more confusing and potentially problematic. Paula Span, the columnist for the New Old Age column of The New York Times has addressed both of these situations. You can find her columns here and here.

There are a range of services and support resources available to help family caregivers find connection and kindred spirits and to relieve some of the practical and financial burdens they have assumed. For a useful calculator to determine your level of caregiver stress and burden, and to begin your journey to find support, click here. For some organizations and entities that can provide support hotlines, information, and resources to help, connect with your Area Agency on Aging, the Rosalyn Carter Institute For Caregivers, or the Caregiver Action Network. For some practical advice on self-care, click here, and for some useful information from the CDC, look here. For some recent books on the subject, take a look at The Caregiving Guide from Denise Brown or The All Home Care Matters Official Family Caregivers’ Guide from Lance A. Slatton, agebuzz blogger and nationally renowned expert on family caregivers and home care services. And to all the family caregivers among agebuzz readers, we honor you, we see you and we support the important work you have undertaken.