Honoring the Heart of Our Communities: Celebrating Native Family Caregivers this November

In American Indian and Alaska Native communities, family caregivers are the unsung heroes, working tirelessly behind the scenes to care for their loved ones. These caregivers, often unpaid, are responsible for providing everything from daily personal care to managing complex medical tasks. Many of our Native health staff play a dual role as paid care providers for patients and unpaid caregivers for family members.

Caring for loved ones is a tradition deeply rooted in the cultural values of family and community, giving it significant meaning. However, it can also come with many challenges. It generally offers little recognition, training, or respite, often leading to emotional and physical exhaustion and burnout.

Caregiving is an act of love, but also a necessity of public health. Without family caregivers, many elders would require care in long-term care facilities, which would cost an estimated $600 billion annually if replaced by paid services. At the same time, caregivers themselves face financial challenges, with lost income from caregiving reaching up to $522 billion each year. The struggle to balance caregiving, work, and other responsibilities can be overwhelming.

The Indian Health Service recognizes the critical role of caregivers and supports organizations that provide caregiver resources and assistance. Through our Models of Dementia Care funding, grantees like the Norton Sound Health Corporation in Alaska are leading efforts to create paid family caregiver positions. One family's experience in the Bering Straits region highlights the program's impact. While one family member applied for a job as a personal care attendant, another sought dementia care services for their elder. Thanks to the program, the family member applying for a job was hired to care for their elder, combining work and caregiving to meet both needs.

Another grantee, the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health System, utilizes the Savvy Caregiver in Indian Country program, an adaptation developed by principal author Dr. Joseph Neil Henderson (Cherokee). It is one of only a few evidence-based resources and has been adapted for use in American Indian and Alaska Native communities to empower caregivers with knowledge and tools. Tailored to the specific needs of Native communities, this program provides training on critical topics, such as understanding dementia, managing challenging behaviors, and accessing support resources. After completing the training, one caregiver shared, "It helps you understand what's coming down the road, and that makes all the difference."

Another innovative grantee project designed to support caregivers comes from the Nez Perce Tribe's Nimiipuu Health Program. Staff created memory care bags to provide practical and thoughtful support for elders with dementia and their caregivers. Each pack includes lotion, gift cards, adult coloring books, journals, and educational materials on balancing caregiving with work and family. These bags recognize the stress and emotional strain caregivers often face, providing tools for self-care and ways to connect with their loved ones. Through this project, the Nez Perce Tribe shows its commitment to caregivers personally and meaningfully.

During National Family Caregivers Month this November, we honor caregivers and their dedication, sacrifice, and essential role in our communities, especially as they care for loved ones affected by Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. Please join us in raising awareness and offering support with words of appreciation and action to make their role more fulfilling and manageable.

For more information on getting involved, visit the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers | ACL Administration for Community Living report. Together, we can make a difference for those who give so much.

As the IHS national elder care consultant, Dr. Jolie Crowder is a team lead responsible for planning, formulating, and implementing national eldercare policies and programming, focusing on dementia and Alzheimer's. Dr. Crowder brings nearly 25 years of experience to her new position at IHS in nursing, health care, public health, and aging services, primarily in the non-profit sector. She has worked for more than a decade on tribal aging issues.