02/20/2026
According to Nationaltoday.com, National Caregiver’s Day “honors individuals who selflessly provide personal care, and physical and emotional support to those who need it most. There are different types of caregivers who are not just limited to the health sector. The types are family caregiver, professional caregiver, independent caregiver, private duty caregiver, and informal caregiver. Some of them are not always paid, which is why it is essential to appreciate and thank them for their long-term commitment”.
Actually, it is estimated over 50 million caregivers here in the United States are unpaid, representing an estimated economic impact of over $800 billion every year! These family caregivers have in some instances had to leave their jobs, some have moved in with ailing parents or brought them into their own homes, and many are raising their own children at the same time they are caring for an older family member.
This day of recognition originated with the Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies (PAHHHA), who established the third Friday in February as National Caregiver’s Day back in 2015. Their intent was to dedicate a day annually to recognize the “tireless efforts of those who provide care.” The first celebration of the holiday took place in 2016. Recognition recommendations include writing a “heartfelt note” or giving a “thoughtful gift” like a spa day, or even just sharing stories about how a particular caregiver made a significant difference in your own life.
The National Alliance for Caregiving and American Association of Retired Persons reported in 2020 an estimated 53 million caregivers in the U.S. cared for an adult or child without getting paid for it. They report that most caregivers provide care for one loved one, but approximately 15% look after two adults, and 3% care for three or more adults at any given time. Wow! Of course we know, many of these caregivers are older themselves, and some are dealing with their own medical challenges. Imagine just having this fact generally understood within our own families and community, let alone being regularly thanked for it on a specific day remembered on an annual basis!
So today, I want to thank every family caregiver who is reading this. Like you, I received no “Happy Caregiver’s Day” cards. There were no deliveries of any flowers, or even a quick note or email thanking me for anything. No gifts or texts from family, even awareness that National Caregiver’s Day is a thing to be remembered! But you know what, I know those who count get it. I know people do appreciate what family caregivers sacrifice, and at this point I find gratitude and thanks both come in entirely different ways. I am thanked every time my guy opens his baby blue eyes and smiles at me in recognition when I awaken him. I feel our family and friends’ gratitude when they comment on how well they believe he is doing and how grateful they are when he remembers something to ask them or just smiles at them. And I talk every day with other caregivers who clearly understand that you cannot fully appreciate the journey we are on until you have walked the path yourself.
For those who are reading this who have the time, please reach out to a caregiver you know and tell them you are thinking about them. Tell them they do matter, you do recognize the efforts they expend on a loved one’s behalf, and the world is a better place because they are in it! It really doesn’t make a difference whether they are paid or unpaid for their efforts; what is critical is that we, as a society, recognize these caregivers are the backbone of the long-term care of our aging population. They all endeavor to make life a little easier for someone! Yes, “we’re all just walking each other home” SCAN MacombAssisted Living Locators - Metro DetroitNext Steps 4 Seniors Connect MacombMacomb County ChamberSENIORS ASSISTED LIVING CARE SERVICESHome Instead Senior Care Authority in Macomb and Oakland Counties
