Supporting Family Caregivers

Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the Strengthen the Care You Give caregiving campaign, to help Texans learn about the role of the family caregiver, highlight issues associated with caregiving, and build awareness of available services and supports.

At some point in our lives, most of us will be a family caregiver or receive the help of a family caregiver. According to the RAISE Family Caregivers Act (PDF), informal or family caregivers are unpaid people of any age who provide a range of assistance to a person with a chronic or other health condition, disability or functional limitation. In Texas an estimated 3.1 million caregivers provide unpaid care at an estimated value of $41 million according to AARP. The importance of caregivers was recently emphasized on a federal level when The National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers was released. This strategy provides action items that can be undertaken by state and local governments so that family caregivers have the support they need.

Being a caregiver can involve complex tasks, like medical care, food preparation, assistance with hygiene activities and transportation. While it can be incredibly rewarding and bring the caregiver and care recipient closer, it can also come with challenges, as many caregivers juggle multiple roles. The support that family caregivers provide is invaluable and often gives the care recipient the opportunity to live as independently as possible.

Through the Strengthen the Care You Give campaign, HHS encourages caregivers to seek support when needed. Visit the Strengthen the Care You Give webpage for information about helpful caregiving resources, including:

• Self-care to help caregivers understand the mental health stresses related to caregiving and resources to take a scheduled break, find peer support or connect with support.

• Training and planning resources to help caregivers strengthen the care they provide through specific care-related skill development and planning resources.

• Support and resources that caregivers may need, including a range of supportive services and resources for specific populations.

Learn about the role of the family caregiver and explore the available services and supports by visiting TexasCaregivers.org.