This International Women’s Day, I’m thinking about caregivers, the quiet backbone of many families and communities. In homes around the world, that role is still disproportionately carried by women. Research from the AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving shows that about 60% of family caregivers in the U.S. are women, many balancing careers, households, and long-term care for loved ones.
Yesterday, a family member in her early 60s passed away, barely two months after her mother-in-law, whom she had cared for until the age of 94. Her daughters were looking forward to having more time with their mom. She was hoping for more time with her own mother and siblings and spoke of traveling. Those plans now remain unfinished.
A few months ago, Ashwin Krishnan, host of StandOutIn90Sec, asked me a simple question: Who are you thankful for right now?
My answer was immediate, my sister. She chose not to leave the town we grew up in so she could stay close to our parents, and today she is their primary caregiver.
His follow-up question prompted me to reflect on time: How conscious are we of how we spend it?
It reminded me how sacred time is, not just precious, but finite. Being present, prioritizing what matters, and caring for our own well-being is not indulgent; it is necessary.
Caregiving often comes with deep emotional commitment. It is rarely transactional. It is done out of love, responsibility, and a sense of duty. But caregivers also need care.
So this International Women’s Day, my reflection and commitment is simple: to stay mindful about health, time, and presence, and to encourage every caregiver, women and men, to take care of themselves with the same dedication they give others.
Because making yourself a priority is not neglecting others; it is sustaining the ability to keep showing up for them. As Audre Lorde wrote, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.”
#InternationalWomensDay #Caregiving #SelfCare