November is National Family Caregivers Month

November is National Family Caregivers Month, honoring all those who care for loved ones with physical and mental health issues. 

• There are more than 65 million people in the US alone who spend an average of 20 hours a week caring for a loved one.
• 1.4 million children ages 8 to 18 provide care for an adult relative.
• Approximately 66% of family caregivers are women. 
• 14% of family caregivers care for a special needs child with an estimated 16.8 million caring for special needs children under 18 years old. 
• Stress of family caregiving for persons with dementia has been shown to impact a person’s immune system for up to three years after their caregiving ends thus increasing their chances of developing a chronic illness themselves.
• 20% of caregivers over 50 years old report symptoms of depression compared to 8% of their non-caregiving peers.