Friday, February 19th is National Caregivers Day

National Caregivers Day is a holiday that recognizes and honors all of the hard work and dedication that caregivers offer all year round.

There are so many caregivers working, there’s a good chance that everyone who is reading this knows at least one. It’s estimated that 60% of all employees are also caregivers.

Caregivers Have Tough Jobs

One of the most interesting facts is the toll that caregivers suffer during the execution of their duties. It’s been estimated that interpersonal family relations of approximately 25% of caregivers suffer due to their work responsibilities. 

Women Are More Likely to Be Caregivers

Although both men and women can be caregivers, the vast majority of the caregivers working today are women. It’s been estimated that out of the millions of caregivers in the U.S., 68% of them are women, while only 32% are men.

Many Caregivers Don’t Receive A Paycheck

Unfortunately, not everyone who works as a caregiver actually get paid for their contributions. It’s been estimated that over 53 million people provide unpaid care to someone over the age of 18 who is suffering from a serious illness or is disabled. 

Some Caregivers Have Quit Their Job for Ill Family Members

It’s also been estimated that 15+ million caregivers have quit their job in order to provide care for a loved one who is seriously ill or disabled. 

Caregivers Spend Over $7,000 Of Their Own Money

It’s been estimated that up to 42% of caregivers spend $7,000 or more dollars on the care of a sick or infirm loved one. 

Personal finances are a concern for family caregivers: 28 percent have stopped saving; 23 percent have taken on more debt and 22 percent have used up personal short-term savings.

Celebrating National Caregivers Day

First and foremost, people can celebrate National Caregivers Day by taking the time out of their day to thank a caregiver that they know or the one that’s taking care of them if they’re sick or infirm.

Anyone who is taking the time to celebrate this day should use the hashtag #NationalCaregiversDay on their social media accounts to spread the word about this worthy holiday.