Every year, on the third Friday in February, National Caregivers Day shines a light on those who have dedicated their life to serving others.
Florida has the country’s second highest Alzheimer’s population, and it is estimated that more than 870,000 caregivers dedicate 1.4 billion hours of unpaid care each year, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
Among these caregivers, 66.4% of them have recorded chronic health conditions, with 28.6% documenting depression. Still, caregivers throughout the state of Florida continue to dedicate themselves to the full-time job of watching over those in need.
Donna Lee of the Alzheimer’s Association of North Central Florida is among them.
“I was five years into this caregiving journey when I had my own cardiac issue,” she said.
While Lee’s caretaking journey was not related to Alzheimer’s, she now oversees multiple counties in North Central Florida, ensuring that all of the caretaking agencies have adequate resources and programs.
The Alzheimer’s Association alone offers resources such as a 24/7 hotline for caregivers, warning sign presentations, training sessions and more, Lee says.
“Just in the short few years that I have been here,” she said, “we can tell by just the sheer number of contacts we make, that we are making a difference.”
One local organization that has worked closely with the Alzheimer’s Association is Touching Hearts at Home. Executive Director and Administrator Christina Ramos shares that her family started the organization 15 years ago to give other families the support they wished they had caring for her grandmother with Alzheimer’s.
“The said reality is that for a lot of families, until it hits them, they have no experience on how to guide their loved one,” she says.
For the past two years, Touching Hearts at Home has received the Best of Florida award for home care. What likely sets them apart from the rest is the extensive background checks and training that goes into the hiring of caregivers.
“These are employees, and we want to know everything about them,” she says, “What is their mission? Why do they want to serve others?”
All of their caregivers come with a minimum of one to two years in caretaking, and are certified nursing assistants and home health aides. Additionally, they are required to go through consistent training throughout their employment.
An experienced lobbyist at the state capitol, Ramos sees hope for Florida, despite the growing trends in Alzheimer’s patients.
Virginia Grant, founder and director of Assurance, has also taken her experience of caregiving and used it to give back to others. With a background in mental health therapy, Grant has supported many caregivers throughout North Central Florida for the last year-and-a-half.
“Caregivers are not likely to ask for support or even identify the support they need,” she said.
Grant’s journey as a caregiver began when her late sister suffered a brain injury and was in a persistent vegetative state, Grant recalls. She took care of her sister at home, dedicating her time to being her primary caregiver.
Most of the events that Assurance offers are online so that a larger audience can be reached. However, this year, Grant is introducing a Caregivers Festival in Gainesville. Its purpose is to give caregivers a day off and remind them that they are part of a community of people all going through similar struggles.
Assurance even has partners coming in to provide respite for these caregivers so that they are able to spend an ample amount of time at this event and truly enjoy some time off.
“The primary overarching goal of assurance is to build that community, to build that support system,” Grant said.
While it can sometimes be hard to navigate knowing what caregivers need and how to ask for it, Grant offers services such as virtual check-ins and coaching sessions to help with this.
One individual who has benefited from Grant’s mission is Newberry resident Karen Black. Black has spent the last few years caring for her mother, who struggles with mobility. While many caregivers may have the help of others, Black cares for her mother solely on her own, while still continuing to be employed full time.
“It’s one of the most complicated things I have ever had to figure out in my life,” she said about her mother’s 24/7 needed care.
Black’s mother is on a full-time oxygen tank that requires power. While there is a backup oxygen tank in case of an emergency, her mother would not be able to maneuver it herself. There have been times when her mother has called to tell her the power went out, and Black has had to return home to help her.
In Black’s case, her mother’s ability to care for herself flipped like a switch back in 2021. Since then, she has had to accept that this is a new reality.
“This is not something that I was ever going to be able to prepare for,” Black states.
While she may not have much help, Black expresses that for others, the most important thing they can do is to build a support system as soon as they start to notice something that might create persistent challenges for a loved one.
Without much physical help, Black has found comfort in how accommodating her employers have been, as well as being able to confide in Grant. She expresses that while Grant’s circumstances were different than hers, she continues to support Black.
National Caregivers Day serves as a reminder to recognize the many individuals like Black who so often put themselves last, to provide their loved ones with the care they need. From statewide resources to support groups, organizations are working to ensure caregivers feel seen and supported.
For those dedicating countless hours to loved ones, and the professionals who provide care as their life’s work, Friday is a call for continued awareness, resources and appreciation for the vital role these individuals play every single day.