Baby boomers didn’t invent it.

Family caregiving has been going on for a long time.

My earliest memories include long drives in our shiny, black  Plymouth to visit my grandfather’s older sister wherever she was assigned. Ciocia (aunt in Polish) Pelagia was a nun. She didn’t speak a word of English.   

Until her arthritis made cooking and cleaning impossible, she contributed to her community by tending to the basic needs of the younger sisters who taught in schools or nursed the sick in hospitals. Our family entourage would visit with Ciocia on Sundays and bring her news about our family and small gifts of candy or cookies.

In her later years, my Dad would slip her a tiny bottle of brandy “for medicinal purposes.” I don’t remember how old I was, but I can remember wondering if nuns were allowed to drink brandy. 

When their time came, my parents took care of my grandparents. And, more recently, I did the same for my father.

When my turn came in 2005, there wasn’t much talk about family caregiving. There were websites for nursing homes and assisted living but scarely any information on the Internet about caring for loved ones at home.

Today, the Internet has dozens of blogs and websites dedicated to families caring for family. This blog is part of the groundswell.

On October 30, 2009, President Barack Obama issued a proclamation naming November 2009 National Family Caregivers Month.  The White House proclamation said,  ” I encourage all Americans to pay tribute and support those who are caring for their family members, friends, and neighbors in need of assistance.”

The truth is that we need family caregivers. 

The proclamation put it this way:  ”As the foundation of America’s long-term care system, these individuals give millions of Americans the peace of mind and security that only family can provide.”  No doubt about it.

Creating a safe and comfortable environment for another family member is hard work. It costs money. It takes sacrifices. It can be exasperating and discouraging. You can feel unappreciated.  It is service with a capital “S.”

If you know someone caring for a family member, take the time to express your appreciation and gratitude. Phone call, greeting card, letter, email, text message — whatever means of communication works for you. 

Do it today.

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 © 2009 CK Wilde. All Rights Reserved. Please feel free to link to this post but you must have prior written permission (please use the comments) to reproduce this post either whole or in part.