Q. Who were you caring for?
A. My father

Q. How long did you care for him?
A. He had a stroke when I was 10 years old. For several years when I was in my 40s, I helped my mom care for him full time.

Q. What type of condition or illness did he have?
A. Dementia and aphasia

Q. What did your caregiving experience teach you about yourself?
A. I learned that I'm good at tracking down answers.

Q. If you had one piece of advice for those in the throes of caregiving, what would it be?
A. I recommend caregiver support groups for sharing ideas and strategies. Also, be kind to yourself. It's human to make mistakes sometimes. 

Rebecca and her dad Arthur capture a special selfie, reminding us that caregiving brings lovely moments amid the challenges.

Little Direction on a Caregiving Journey

Abena’s husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2013, shortly after she became pregnant with their first child. During his four years of treatment and eventual Hospice care, Abena did almost everything for him. She now shares her story so that both policy makers and caregivers can learn from her experience. Watch this 3.5 minute video and listen for the support she wishes she had had while caring for her husband.

A Tidy Home Fosters Peace and Rejuvenation
Ideally, your living space is a protective haven where you can find calm and restore energy. Having a well-organized home helps create such a space. Cluttered spaces can spark anxiety, creating stress that can impact your health. While it may seem challenging if you’re a caregiver, this 15-minute class can help. Discover how to organize your closet while refining your personal style, too! This and many other offerings can be found online at NYS Office for the Aging GetSetUp.

Register for a class today!

February is American Heart Month

Having a Heart-to-heart About Caring for a Loved One with Cardiovascular Disease

American Heart Month highlights the importance of cardiovascular wellbeing, raising awareness about conditions like heart disease. According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. and stroke has moved up to the #4 spot.

Supporting an individual with heart disease involves consistent daily oversight of medication, vigilant observation of symptoms such as fatigue or swelling, and promoting a nourishing, low-sodium lifestyle for heart health.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. provide some form of regular care or assistance to a family member or friend with a health problem or disability; 58% of them are women and almost a third provide care for at least 20 hours per week.

“The typical caregiver likely has an ever-growing and changing to-do list and most of them probably do not add ‘take care of myself’ to that list. While caregiving can be a very rewarding experience, it can also take a huge physical and mental toll on even the strongest person,” said American Heart Association volunteer Lisa Kitko, Ph.D., R.N., FAHA, dean of the University of Rochester (NY) School of Nursing and vice president of the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Here are a few key pointers Kitko recommends to help caregivers care for themselves:

• Learn everything you can about your loved one’s condition. Knowledge is empowering.

• Set boundaries; say no when it’s appropriate, don’t dwell on what you can’t change and recognize you are trying your best

• Maintain a healthy diet, including limiting caffeine.

• Get adequate rest.

Learn more about caring for yourself and your loved one with cardiovascular disease in this piece from the American Heart Association Newsroom.

Watching Things Unfold Into a Work of Art

Griffin Hale was a University of Utah student studying ceramics when his mom was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. His art installation, "The Caregiver's Window," perched in the hills overlooking University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, was inspired by his own experience. The installation existed briefly, yet its emotional resonance may endure for a lifetime.

Hear Griffin’s story.

100 Years of National Commemoration and Centuries of Caregiving
As the nation celebrates the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, we recognize how deeply rooted caregiving is in the lives of Black families and the tremendous contributions of Black caregivers.

According to the "Caregiving in the US 2025" report by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, Black families make up a large share of the 63 million family caregivers in the US, marking a 45% increase since 2015. This article from University of Arizona Life & Work Connections provides additional statistics and discusses depth of caregiving within this community.

End of Life Care for Adults with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD): Wednesday, February 11 from 1:00-2:00 PM ET.
This is part two of a four-part webinar series: Understanding Aging & IDD - Webinars designed to empower caregivers with essential insights and resources for their journey with loved ones who have IDD. These one-hour webinars are held in January (view on our YouTube Channel), February, March, and April. Learn more and register

High Stress Coping and Substance Abuse: A Toxic Combination - Wednesday, February 18 from 10 AM-12 PM ET - This free webinar by Northeast & Caribbean ATTC will include engaging discussion and explore the effects of chronic stress on brain chemistry, increasing vulnerability to substance abuse, and also examine stress-relief activities that promote healthy management of stress and its overall influence on wellbeing. Learn more and register here,

Caregiver Book Group - The Finger Lakes Caregiver Institute at Lifespan is hosting a Virtual Caregiver Book Group held each Tuesday in March. The book for this series is called Loving Someone Who Has Dementia: How to Find Hope while Coping with Stress and Grief, by Dr. Pauline Boss, who coined the term "ambiguous loss" in the 1970s. This group is aimed at those who are caregiving for someone living with dementia/memory loss. Find more information and a link to register here.

The Art of Aging Gracefully NY - Older adults in and around Warren County now have a trusted, welcoming place to learn practical life skills, feel more confident navigating change, and stay connected to community resources in a calm self-paced style tailored to each individual’s comfort level. The Art of Aging Gracefully has just launched its new website and YouTube channel. This a community-minded educational project created to help older adults feel informed, supported, and capable in everyday life. While having local relevance for viewers in and around Warren County, the resource is useful for a wider audience.

National Caregiver Help Desk App - The Caregiver Action Network is now sponsoring an app to support caregivers. Users will be able to access personalized resources and strategies for caregiving, create a supportive network, explore tools on various topics, manage daily tasks efficiently, and connect with a Help Desk team for real-time guidance. You can also connect via phone at 855-227-3640. Learn more about the app here.

FREE Caregiver Guides There is so much to know about caregiving no matter what stage of caregiving you are in. AARP has developed Family Caregiver Guides to meet the needs of different groups and in a few different languages. You can access them here, request a printed copy or call AARP directly.

Calling all family caregivers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities:

Engaging in deep breathing encourages both your body and mind to shift from a heightened fight-or-flight response to a more tranquil state. This practice enhances oxygen flow, and reduces heart rate and blood pressure, serving as a free, proactive strategy to tackle daily stress and foster mental serenity, according to a report from the National Institutes for Health.

NY Connects links individuals to long-term services and supports regardless of payment source/health insurance, whether it be private pay, public or a combination of both. Through the provision of free, comprehensive, objective information and assistance about long-term services and supports, NY Connects empowers individuals and families to identify available services and supports and choose what will best meet their needs at home, in the community, and as necessary, in residential or institutional settings.

To learn more, call: 1-800-342-9871 or visit www.nyconnects.ny.gov 

This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,375,000 with 75 percentage funded by ACL/HHS and $458,330 and 25 percentage funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.