Caregiving is both a role and a relationship. This is exemplified through Rosalynn Carter’s iconic quote, “There are only four kinds of people in the world–those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” This quote is illuminated in both personal and professional experience as both of the authors of this post have been direct and long-distance caregivers for family members who live locally and abroad. Moreover, our personal anecdotes are consistent with national and statewide data.
According to the 2025 report by National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP, the prevalence of caregiving in Texas is approximately 23% of adults, totaling 5,345,000 individuals. Moreover, “36% of family caregivers report moderate to high levels of emotional stress” and “57% experienced at least one negative financial impact,” which highlight the emotional and financial impact of caregiving (NAC & AARP, 2025).
It is eye-opening when caregivers recognize that they are not alone in the caregiving process. To assess what level of strain you may be experiencing as a caregiver, one step can be to complete a self-assessment. The Zarit Burden Interview: Revised that was originally developed in 1980 by Zarit, Reever, and Bach-Peterson is a widely used tool that can be located on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Alzheimer’s Institute page. This self-assessment consists of 22 questions with a rating scale from 0 to 4, noting the frequency of feeling certain emotions. Once completed, a caregiver totals his/her answers to see what category the score falls within and determines the next steps.
The most common categories that we address with caregivers, based on a person’s life circumstances are:
- Resources and Referrals
- Educational Information
- Online Forums and Support Groups
- Professional Caregiving and Respite
- Long-distance Caregiving Tools
Resources and Referrals
Resources and referrals can include practical knowledge to fill gaps of unawareness of what exists in the community. As one client exclaimed this week, “I had no idea this transportation assistance existed!” A few starting points can be your county’s local Area Agency on Aging, or the nationwide 211 program. Specifically, Eldercare Locator, Family Caregiver Alliance, and Caregiver Action Network offer a wide range of resources related to aging both locally and nationally.
Educational Information
Educational tools can empower caregivers with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate everyday challenges. Organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association and Family Caregivers Online offer video tutorials and webinars covering a wide range of caregiving topics. Powerful Tools for Caregivers, a six-week, in-person or virtual course, helps caregivers manage difficult emotions, strengthen self-care practices, and build confident communication skills. Cancer Care Services proudly facilitates this course, so if you or someone you know is interested in participating, please give us a call!
Online Forums and Support Groups
Technology can help caregivers stay connected, especially when caregiving feels isolating. Online forums and virtual support groups make it easier to find community, encouragement, and shared understanding. There are many support groups available based on categories, such as diagnosis or relationship status of the care recipient. AnCan and Cancer Care offer online support group meetings, while Smart Patients offers online communities with a variety of focuses. Cancer Support Community is a nationwide organization that offers in-person and online support and activities through local chapters. The North Texas Cancer Support Community chapter can be contacted at 214-345-8230. Whatever your caregiving journey looks like, there’s a supportive community out there for you.
Professional Caregiving and Respite
Recognition that outside support is needed to take care of a care recipient is both humbling and empowering. Once this acknowledgement is made, it is helpful to differentiate among the multiple types of professional care available.
- In-home attendants: Support for household needs, such as cooking, cleaning, bathing, dressing, and grooming. This is not covered by insurance but can be covered through a government program, such as the Veteran’s Administration, Medicaid, or local funding from the Area Agency on Aging.
- Home health care: Meet individuals’ skilled medical care needs that is covered by insurance.
- Palliative care: Relieve pain and symptoms of illness along with treating disease.
- Hospice care: Palliative care to improve quality of life, but no curative treatment.
- Respite care: Short-term support through a break for caregivers (in-home or community).
- Adult day centers: Social and personal care services offered during the daytime.
- Assisted living facility/group home: 24-hour health and personal care in a residential facility.
- Skilled nursing facility: licensed residential facility with 24-hour skilled nursing, therapy, and services.
Specifically, Genworth offers a tool to calculate what the cost of long-term care will be for future planning. While ARCH National Respite Network and National Adult Day Services Association, both offer search engines for care programs that allow temporary relief for a caregiver to be able to step away from caretaking to reset.
One crucial question that many individuals are interested in is whether someone can be paid as a family caregiver. There are three important considerations: 1) the state in which you live, 2) the specific eligibility requirements to qualify, and 3) limited funding available. For more information on paid caregiving, contact your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), investigate the Medicaid self-directed programs, inquire about veteran benefits, or see if there is paid family leave that varies by state.
Long-distance Caregiving Tools
Caregiving long-distance holds unique challenges and opportunities to support the care recipient. One tool is assisting in completing advanced directives that are state-specific. Another tool is researching long-term care insurance coverage as a potential source of funding to cover professional caregiving services through the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program; however, it is important to note that these policies need to be enrolled in and paid prior to needing them. Finally, Triage Health is a nationwide program that provides financial and legal advice for individuals experiencing chronic illnesses.
Caring for Caregivers
The number of people fulfilling the role of a caregiver to their spouse/partner, aging parent, or child with special needs is increasing and is expected to continue increasing as a large portion of the population ages and requires higher levels of care. Research has shown the impact long-term stress has on caregivers and the toll it takes on them both mentally and physically. This commonly shows up as higher rates of depression and anxiety; weakened immune system; obesity; increased risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or arthritis; problems with short-term memory or ability to focus; and even increased mortality rates in caregivers. The main reasons for this are that caregivers often begin neglecting their own healthcare and social needs for the sake of the person they’re caring for. In short, if caregivers don’t take care of themselves, then they won’t have the energy, stamina, or health to care for the care receiver to the full extent that they are able to.
At Cancer Care Services, we seek to provide care and support to caregivers as well as cancer patients and survivors; therefore, please reach out if you or someone you know may be interested in speaking with a social worker for case management navigation, caregiver support, or social and spiritual connection events.
Written by: Joy Rong, LMSW & Christi Jackson, LMSW
Cancer Care Services is here to help so that no one has to cope with cancer alone! We can help you find resources and will determine if you are eligible for our assistance programs and connect you with in-house social events. Contact us today at 817-921-0653 or fill out our online form. We look forward to helping you!
Citations:
- National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2025, July). Caregiving in the US. https://www.caregiving.org/research/caregiving-in-the-us/
- Zarit, S. H., Reever, K. E., & Bach-Peterson, J. (1980). Relatives of the impaired elderly: correlates of feelings of burden. The Gerontologist, 20(6), 649–655. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/20.6.649
