Public Lands Providing Respite for Caregivers

Public Lands Providing Respite for Caregivers

Nov 22, 2024

November is National Family Caregivers Month.

A caregiver is someone who provides direct care for a child or person who requires specialized care, such as a person who is chronically ill or the elderly. It's typically a long-term commitment, emotionally exhausting, usually unpaid, and often accompanied by the person's "real" full-time job.

Snowshoeing at Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho. If you're able, taking the family for some time outdoors away from caregiving duties can be a nice break. Photo courtesy of BLM Idaho.

In a recent study, Harvard Business School Professor Joseph Fuller found that 73% of employees in the United States have some type of caregiving responsibility, many of whom reported that caregiving negatively affected their careers. Balancing the responsibilities of a full-time job and caregiving can also have adverse effects on a person's physical and mental health.

It's widely known that connecting with nature improves people's health and wellbeing. The Bureau of Land Management manages 245 million acres of public land in the United States that provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities.

When your caregiving duties include someone who is immune-compromised, the BLM has plenty of areas where you can drive to a campsite that isn't near other people, like this beautiful spot on Chopaka Lake in Washington state. Photo by Jeff Clark, BLM.

"The landscape can absorb your emotions that the humans can't," says BLM employee and caregiver, Gina Clingerman. "Nature takes away what you can't carry."

Driving off-highway vehicles at St. Anthony Sand Dunes in Idaho is many recreational activities that can be done on BLM lands while taking a break from caregiving duties. Photo courtesy of BLM Idaho.

We invite our nation's caregivers to enjoy their public lands for some respite. Come alone or bring your family and friends. Whether you like to walk, hike, camp, fish, cross-country ski, hunt, bike, bird watch, drive, picnic, or just sit in nature-there's a place and an activity for everyone.

You can start with the BLM Recreational Opportunities map, the BLM Accessible Recreation Opportunities map, the BLM Visit page, or by calling your nearest BLM office to find out more about the recreation opportunities in your area.