Caregiver Advocates Are you a caregiver?

1 in 5 Americans are caregivers.

Often people think caregivers are paid professionals – like nurses, home health professionals, nurse aides or sitters. When we talk about caregivers, we are referring to individuals who are providing unpaid care to a family member, friend, neighbor or anyone with care needs that they are unable to perform themselves.

4.5 years is the average duration of caregiving.

An AARP study found that 15% of respondents said “no” to the question “are you a caregiver?” But said “yes” to a second question about performing tasks of a caregiver. So often, we don’t see coordinating someone’s medical care, handling finances and legal matters, or performing day-to-day chores and errands as caregiving.

If you are doing these types of tasks for someone else, you are a caregiver.

Whether you’ve been caregiving for a long time, or this is a new role for you, we want to hear from you.

We want to hear from you.

Our Caregiver Survey explores your experience as a caregiver and can help you understand your level of stress and strain better. Understanding this about your own situation can help you acknowledge your need for support and empower you to access available resources.

Take the Survey

Why is a hospice organization surveying caregivers?

Some may ask why a hospice organization is investing in an initiative supporting caregivers. Naturally, we at Hospice of the Piedmont work with caregivers every day – individuals who are caring for a loved one at the end of life. With many years of experience, our care teams have learned a great deal about the common concerns and challenges of caregivers.

In 2021, the organization began creating resources for those caregivers we work with in hospice to support them in their role – from videos demonstrating everyday care tasks to blog posts addressing emotional considerations. As family feedback showed that caregivers felt more supported and equipped in their roles, we knew that our work to support caregivers needed to serve our larger community.

Caregiver Advocates is the result of the respect and compassion we feel toward the many unsung heroes who are caring for someone else. Many caregivers are working full time, raising children or grandchildren, and managing financial considerations, all while trying to maintain their own autonomy too. The solutions offered in the educational and empowering tools of Caregiver Advocates support this important group of people.