November is National Caregiver Appreciation Month

Each November, The ALS Association celebrates National Family Caregivers Month, and we pay tribute to the individuals who provide assistance to those living with ALS.

ALS caregivers do not ask for their role, but they embrace it courageously out of love for a family member, spouse, or friend with the disease. Caregivers report high levels of stress and often say they struggle to ask for help out of fear of burdening others. They also have higher rates of negative health outcomes like heart attacks and report high levels of financial hardship. People with ALS are at high risk of respiratory failure, which means quarantining during the public health crisis is critical. This isolation can cause great depression and more work for the primary caregiver. It is important that we support our caregivers.

The ALS Association is grateful to the thousands of people who take care of family members and loved ones with ALS. To support caregivers, The ALS Association offers helpful resources for caregivers. Resources include caregiving tips and hints, information on coping with the demands of caregiving, respite care, and more. To learn more, visit cure4als.org.

Top 5 Ways to Celebrate National Family Caregivers Month

1. Offer a few hours of respite time to a family caregiver so they spend time with friends, or simply relax.

2. Send a card of appreciation or a bouquet of flowers to brighten up a family caregiver’s day.

3. Encourage local businesses to offer a free service for family caregivers through the month of November.

4. Help a family caregiver decorate their home for the holidays or offer to address envelopes for their holiday cards.

5. Offer to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for a caregiving family in your community, so they can just relax and enjoy the holiday.

On November 12^th we invite you to join us in recognizing our amazing caregivers during the ALS Community Cares Auction.

The funds raised during this virtual event will support programs like our respite care program that provides much needed relief to our caregivers.

While we use technology to bridge the gap with services like virtual support groups and video calls, it is critical that we continue to innovate, to make sure that all people with ALS and their caregivers have access to the self-care and support they urgently need.

You can learn more about the resources available for ALS caregivers here.

Submit your Caregiver Appreciation story/thank you today to be featured throughout the month of November!