National Caregivers Day: I See You, and You Deserve Support Too
There’s a kind of tired that sleep doesn’t fix.
If you’ve ever been a caregiver, you probably know exactly what I mean.
It’s the tired that comes from carrying everything.
The meals.
The medications.
The appointments.
The laundry.
The worry.
The phone calls.
The check-ins.
The planning.
The constant feeling of needing to stay alert, just in case something goes wrong. And even when you do everything right… you still wonder if you’re doing enough.
That’s why I’m grateful National Caregivers Day exists.
As a Homecare owner, I know all of our caregivers need appreciation. Not because caregivers want attention. Most caregivers don’t. Most caregivers are the kind of people who would rather say, “It’s fine, I’ve got it,” even when it’s not fine.
But this day matters because caregivers deserve to be seen. You might be thinking, "Betsy, I completely agree!"
They deserve to be appreciated. And they deserve support.
Caregiving is love… but it’s also a lot
Caregiving is one of the most loving things a person can do.
But I don’t think we talk enough about how heavy it can become.
Not because you don’t love your parent. Not because you don’t care about your spouse. Not because you aren’t grateful for the time you still have.
It’s heavy because caregiving isn’t just an act of love.
It becomes a lifestyle.
It becomes a second job.
Sometimes it becomes the thing your whole life revolves around without you even realizing it.
The part that surprises people the most
Most people expect caregiving to be physically tiring.
But the part that wears people down the fastest is often the emotional pressure.
It’s the constant decision-making.
Do I bring this up to the doctor?
Do we need more help?
Am I overreacting?
What if something happens when I’m not there?
What if they’re not telling me the truth because they don’t want to worry me?
That “always thinking” feeling can be exhausting.
And it adds up over time.
Some caregivers don’t realize they’re burning out
Here’s something I’ve learned the hard way.
Caregivers don’t always notice burnout when it’s happening.
Because you don’t stop when you’re a caregiver.
You push through.
You adjust.
You make it work.
And you don’t want to complain because someone else has it worse.
But burnout doesn’t always look dramatic.
Sometimes it looks like:
snapping more easily than normal
trouble sleeping
feeling numb or disconnected
feeling anxious, even when nothing “big” is happening
crying in the car and not fully knowing why
feeling irritated, and then immediately feeling guilty for feeling irritated
If you’ve felt any of that, I want you to hear this clearly:
You are not a bad person. You are not failing.
You are human.
One of the hardest emotions caregivers carry: guilt
Caregiver guilt is real.
And it shows up in so many ways.
Guilt for feeling tired. Guilt for not being more patient. Guilt for wanting your time back. Guilt for resenting the situation. Guilt for needing help. Guilt for even thinking the words, “I can’t do this anymore.”
But let me say something that I truly believe:
Needing help does not mean you love them less.
It means you’re trying to love them well… without losing yourself in the process.
Asking for help doesn’t replace you, it supports you
Some caregivers hesitate to bring in home care because they think it means they’re stepping away.
But in my experience, the opposite is usually true.
Support doesn’t remove your role.
It protects your relationship.
It creates breathing room so you can spend time with your loved one in a way that feels meaningful again.
So you can sit and talk without multitasking.
So you can laugh again.
So you can walk into the room without your shoulders already tense.
It’s hard to explain until you’ve lived it, but many families say the same thing:
Home care helped me go back to being a daughter. It helped me go back to being a son. It helped me be a spouse again. Not just a caregiver.
Small support can make a big difference
Sometimes people think home care has to mean “full-time” support.
But often, it starts small.
A few hours a week.
Help with meals.
Help with light housekeeping.
Help with safe movement.
Companionship.
And those “small” things can be the difference between surviving caregiving and being able to sustain it long-term.
If you’re carrying a lot… I want you to know something
To every caregiver reading this:
I see you.
I see the love you’re giving.
I see the patience you’re trying to hold onto.
I see the sacrifices nobody claps for.
I see the quiet moments you don’t talk about.
And I also want to say something I hope you can let sink in:
You are allowed to receive care too.
Caregivers deserve support. Caregivers deserve rest. Caregivers deserve peace. Caregivers deserve to feel like themselves again.
Karis Care Services is here to help
If you’re caring for a loved one and you feel like the weight is getting heavier, you don’t have to wait until you’ve hit a breaking point.
Whether you need help once in a while or consistent support, Karis Care Services is here to walk alongside you and your family.
Because care isn’t just something we give.
Sometimes, care is something we finally allow ourselves to receive.
Lynchburg: (434) 278-7610 | Roanoke: (540) 573-2251 | Daleville: (540) 698-4016
