November is National Family Caregivers Month, which sounds like another awareness campaign until you realize you might be a caregiver and not even know it. If you help a parent with doctor visits, manage medications for a family member, or support someone with daily tasks – you’re a caregiver. And Texas has resources waiting for you.
Millions of Texans provide unpaid care for loved ones with disabilities or chronic health conditions. You help with bathing, dressing, eating, medication management, medical appointments, and emotional support. You juggle this alongside your job, your own family, and your health. Often, nobody sees the work you do – until you can’t do it anymore.
The Reality Nobody Talks About
Caregiving brings deep connection and the comfort of knowing you’re supporting someone you love. But it also brings fatigue that sleep doesn’t fix, emotional stress that compounds daily, and the constant puzzle of balancing work, family, and health while figuring out how to access the right supports.
You’re meeting an immense need. Your work keeps people living with dignity in their own homes instead of institutions. You save the healthcare system billions of dollars. And often, you do this without training, breaks, or recognition.
Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott put it directly: “Texas caregivers embody the true spirit of love and service. Across Texas, caregivers bring comfort and support to families and communities every day, serving as a lifeline often without recognition.”
What Texas Offers Caregivers
The state provides resources specifically designed to support family caregivers. These aren’t complicated programs requiring mountains of paperwork – they’re practical supports that make caregiving sustainable instead of overwhelming.
The “Strengthen the Care You Give” campaign through Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is an online hub with training modules, self-care strategies, collaboration tools, and peer support networks. You can access these resources anytime, learning caregiving skills at your own pace without leaving home.
HHSC Aging & Disability Resource Centers operate across the state. These centers connect you to respite care (someone takes over so you can rest), housing assistance, transportation services, and personal care support. They serve as your gateway to local resources you might not know exist.
The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities focuses specifically on connecting caregivers of people with developmental disabilities to training, peer networks, and community services. If your loved one has a developmental disability, this organization understands your specific challenges and can connect you to specialized support.
Planning Matters More Than You Think
HHSC encourages caregivers and care recipients to talk about future planning now, before crisis forces those conversations. What are the long-term care options? What happens if you get sick? Who takes over if you can’t continue? These discussions feel uncomfortable, but they prevent emergency decisions made under stress.
Respite care gives you scheduled breaks. Training programs teach you proper techniques for lifting, bathing, and medical care – protecting both you and your loved one from injury. Support programs connect you with other caregivers who understand exactly what you’re facing.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup
That saying gets overused, but for caregivers it’s literally true. You cannot provide quality care if you’re running on empty. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish – it’s required maintenance that keeps you able to care for others.
The resources Texas provides exist because the state recognizes that supporting caregivers means better outcomes for everyone. When you access respite care, you return refreshed and more patient. When you learn proper caregiving techniques, you prevent injuries that would sideline you. When you connect with peer support, you gain strategies from people who’ve solved the problems you’re facing.
This Month and Beyond
November highlights caregivers, but the work continues every day. The resources available don’t expire when December starts. If you’re providing care for a family member, these supports are for you – not just this month, but whenever you need them.
Start by exploring the “Strengthen the Care You Give” campaign online. Browse the training modules relevant to your situation. Check the Aging & Disability Resource Center locations to find the one serving your area. Connect with the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities if your loved one has developmental disabilities.
You don’t need to attend special events or wait for appointments to access most of these resources. They’re available now, designed for caregivers who barely have time to breathe, much less navigate complicated systems.
Getting Started
Visit the HHSC website and search for “caregiver resources.” The Strengthen the Care You Give campaign has a dedicated page with everything organized by topic. You can jump directly to the information you need – managing medications, preventing caregiver burnout, understanding dementia care, coordinating with healthcare providers.
Contact your local Aging & Disability Resource Center by calling 2-1-1 (Texas’s statewide information and referral helpline). Tell them you’re a caregiver and describe your situation. They’ll connect you to applicable programs and services in your area.
Join a caregiver support group. Many meet online, so you can participate from home after your loved one goes to sleep. Hearing from other caregivers who’ve navigated similar challenges provides both practical solutions and emotional validation.
You’re Not Invisible
The state sees you. The healthcare system depends on you. Your family relies on you. And now, resources exist specifically to support you doing this vital work.
Caregiving shouldn’t mean sacrificing your own health and well-being. Texas has committed to raising awareness, improving access to supports, and strengthening connections so caregivers are seen, supported, and valued.
This November, take one step toward getting support. Explore one resource. Make one phone call. Connect with one other caregiver. You’ve spent so much time caring for others – let Texas help you care for yourself too.
Caregiver Resources
Strengthen the Care You Give Campaign
- What: Online training, self-care strategies, collaboration tools, peer support
- Access: Through Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) website
- Cost: Free
HHSC Aging & Disability Resource Centers
- Services: Respite care, housing assistance, transportation, personal care services, local support connections
- Contact: Dial 2-1-1 or visit HHSC website for nearest location
- Cost: Free information and referral services
Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities
- Focus: Caregivers of people with developmental disabilities
- Services: Training, peer networks, community service connections
- Information: Available through council website and local chapters
Important Conversations to Have:
- Long-term care options and preferences
- Emergency backup plans if primary caregiver becomes unavailable
- Financial planning for ongoing care needs
- Legal documents (power of attorney, healthcare directives)
- Care preferences and quality-of-life priorities
