Support strategy for caregivers

Your family might be among the millions gathering around the dining room table this holiday season, talking about the best way to care for loved ones facing health challenges.

This week, we mourn the loss of an amazing champion for family caregivers - former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. She is credited for a poignant quote recognizing that "there are four types of people in the world - those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers."

More than one in five Americans bravely provide unpaid caregiving support. In Illinois, AARP estimates approximately 1.5 million people provide care, often performing technical medical care with little training and spending large amounts of money from their own pockets.

As executive director of the Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition, this issue hits home. My family and I helped our mother battle lung cancer for 16 years. Supporting her was an honor and a gift. After caregiving during her serious illness, we saw how confusing the health care system can be.

November is National Family Caregivers Month. Now is the perfect time to lift unsung heroes - unpaid family caregivers. We should give them the respect and resources they need. If you know someone caring for a loved one, please thank them and offer to help.

Fortunately, we have a new road map to support unpaid family caregivers - the first-ever national caregiving strategy. If Congress funds and enacts this strategy, we can better coordinate between systems of care - medical, mental health and financial - to support people in their time of need.

We urge Gov. Pritzker, state legislators and Illinois Congressional leaders to invest in the national caregiving strategy and partner with the Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition as we fight to better support unpaid caregivers.

Amy Brennan, Executive Director

Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition