National Caregiver Day is set aside to celebrate our caregivers, both employees and volunteers, across the nation. These unsung heroes serve the most vulnerable in our society with patience and compassion. Whether it is through illness, aging, or end-of-life, the care they provide reminds us that dignity, love, and care are fundamental rights that belong to all people.
Caregiving is an issue that affects a vast number of people of all walks of life. Consider some of these statistics from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization:
- Over 41.8 million Americans (17% of the population) are unpaid caregivers to someone over the age of 50.
- 89% of those unpaid caregivers provide care to a relative or loved one.
- Unpaid caregivers living apart from their loved one spend on average 23.7 hours per week caring for them. Those who live with their loved one spend an average of 37.4 to 44.6 hours per week caring for them. This is often in addition to raising children, working, and handling other life responsibilities.
While the difficulties of caring for a loved one are real for millions of people, they are not alone. The Addus Family of Companies has the privilege of coming alongside families and helping lift the burdens of caregiving. Our goal is to grow our existing services and expand our service offerings in both current and new areas so that families don’t have to choose between their well-being and the health of a loved one. By offering services ranging from in-home personal care services to end-of-life care, we can assist families and their loved ones wherever they are on the continuum of care.
We want to recognize and thank our caregivers across the Addus family of companies who make these important services possible. Because of your expertise, compassion and dedication, tens of thousands of families have less to worry about knowing that their loved ones are cared for by you. Together, we can provide the care they need, allowing them the freedom to remain in their home and protecting their independence, health, and well-being. Thank you for your service and for exemplifying the core values of service, honesty, compassion, accountability, and leadership in caregiving.
Sincerely,
Brad Bickham
President and Chief Operating Officer