Caregivers are the conversation.

November 05, 2025

Hi there!

I’m Erna, the author of Care Fully.

My caregiver journey started over 20 years ago, when I was 21 years old. As a newly minted college graduate, my life was just beginning. I had no idea how to deal with the ups, downs, and in-betweens of caregiving for my Mother.

Care Fully is a play on words. The questions I am asked and the questions I still have drive each issue of this newsletter.

We “care fully” by balancing our needs as a caregivers with those we provide care for. My goal is to offer up experiences and information to support your caregiving needs.

If this edition was forwarded to you, please sign up for your own copy here. And, if you’re looking for ideas to spotlight or support caregiving in your company, reach out to me at [email protected].

Today we’ll chat about:

  • National Family Caregivers Month.

  • Links of note.

CAREGIVER RESOURCES

We’ve made it to November!

It has been a long year, but November is here. I see various states, municipalities, businesses, and community organizations stepping up to recognize caregivers.

The Caregiver Action Network (CAN), selected “Plug-in-to Care” as this month’s theme. CAN, alongside 80 other organizations, partnered to do a few things for caregivers.

I appreciate the work of CAN and other organizations, entities, and people supporting caregivers.

This is also a good time to say thanks to our respective villages. I would have not made it through my caregiving journey without mine. Friends, family, and providers along with staff all made space to hear and understand me.

Your support network, whether it be two people or more, is a foundational piece of your journey. Last month, my colleague Megan and I interviewed Lisa Clark. She cared for her late husband who battled ALS. I’ve posted a snippet of Lisa’s gratitude for her village here.

Like Lisa, I have the utmost care and adoration for those who gave me their time, care, and love during the hardest moments of my journey.

As we recognize caregivers, let’s also remember those who have and continue to hold us up along the way. If you’d like to listen to Lisa’s episode, you can do so here.

News for you.

  • I’ve mentioned AARP’s State of Caregiving Report in previous newsletters. Now you can see data presented by state. Check out state-specific findings here.

  • When a recognition month gets “big enough,” corporate sponsors start coming through like P&G and CVS. Yay or Nay?

  • Caring for someone with Parkinson’s? Bookmark this resource page.

Is National Family Caregiver Month a good thing? Why/Why Not?

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TILL NEXT TIME

Thanks for reading my newsletter. If you like it, please:

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Take care,

Erna