Last week, I dropped off some homemade matsutake gohan (mushroom rice) and tsukemono (pickled cucumbers) to my 90-year-old uncle and spent time looking at old photographs. He’s the last of my mom’s 8 siblings, and he lives alone and independently. Me and my sister, brother, and cousins take turns checking in on him, bringing him food, taking him on outings, taking him to medical appointments, and more. He still drives and takes walks in the neighborhood. Because he is so healthy, and because we can divide the caregiving among 6 family members, our individual caregiving obligations are pretty light. I didn’t really consider myself a caregiver, but I (and I’m sure many of you) meet the definition of a caregiver.
Uncle Ed Suguro in front of a mural at the new Wilburton Light Rail Station depicting his older sisters on their farm in Bellevue.
If you routinely…
- bring food to a friend or family member
- listen to and reassure them
- drive them to appointments
- help with chores
- pay their bills
- run errands for them
- help with yard work
- fix their leaky faucets
- organize their medications so they can be safe
… then you are a caregiver.
November is National Family Caregivers Month. Caring for an older or disabled family member is very common – in Washington, 820,000 family caregivers of adults provided 770 million hours of unpaid care. Neighborhood House offers family caregiver support programs to help unpaid caregivers get access to respite care, training, support groups, wellness resources, and more! In 2023, we served 1,253 caregivers and care receivers in multiple languages and hosted 50 Caregiver Support Groups in multiple languages.
If you are a caregiver, THANK YOU!
Caregiving can be isolating as well as physically, financially, and emotionally demanding. So be sure to take care of yourself too. If you are looking for resources for yourself or your loved one, contact Neighborhood House’s Resource Team at (206) 354-6500. More information and help for caregivers can be found below.
Community Living Connections | Aging & Disability Info | Seattle & King County) Caregiver Support – Aging & Disability Services for Seattle & King County.