Standing with Caregivers

Every November, National Family Caregivers Month honors the 63 million adults nationwide who step into the often-overlooked work of love: children, spouses, partners, and relatives caring for aging loved ones. Who are the family caregivers that perform these essential daily acts of commitment and sacrifice?

• 24% of U.S. adults serve as family caregivers.
• One in three is under age 50, and 29% belong to the “sandwich generation”—juggling raising children while managing an aging relative’s complex needs.
• 70% of family caregivers are employed, balancing paid work hours around medical appointments, household management, and transportation.

These are not doctors or nurses, mental health professionals, or geriatric specialists. They are family members learning to triage the complex demands of declining physical, emotional, and mental health.

National Family Caregivers Month is an opportunity to look closer at the heavy load that these unpaid workers carry. We acknowledge that our healthcare infrastructure relies disproportionately on the shoulders of people working without a paycheck, often around the clock. We recognize that caregivers struggle with isolation, physical exhaustion, and burnout.

At Jewish Family Service (JFS), we refuse to let unpaid family caregivers carry this heavy load alone. We are committed to connecting caregivers to practical tools, respite, and community that make a heavy burden feel slightly lighter. As community needs grow and resources tighten, we see these caregivers not as secondary helpers, but as vital, irreplaceable partners. We are deeply grateful to have them in our community.

Through our Family Caregiver Support Program, JFS helps King County caregivers navigate changing needs, access respite, and other resources, and find ways to balance caregiving with their own health and responsibilities. Our support often continues over many years, giving caregivers someone they can turn to as new questions and challenges arise.

Are you, or someone you know, a caregiver who needs support? Would you like to know more about our Older Adult Services program? Read about our services and get help. Older Adult Services supports older adults and caregivers, including specialized services for Holocaust survivors, Jewish, and Russian-speaking older adults. Our Family Caregiver Support Program welcomes eligible caregivers from all backgrounds.