Caregivers: Don’t forget to take care of yourself
Christine Harrell • March 1, 2026

As someone who cared for a parent while looking after my own children, know that you are not alone. 


According to an AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving report, more than one million Coloradans are caregivers for a friend or family member with a complex medical condition or disability. 


This legion of caregivers is holding up our state’s health care system and is being paid little, if anything. Make no mistake: caregiving is a real job, regardless of how many hours per week you put in helping a friend or family member. Fifty-six percent of Colorado’s family caregivers report having to go into work late, leave work early, or take time off to provide care. 


For those just beginning their caregiving journey, remember that caregiving requires a team, as well as a strong understanding of the services available to you through many organizations. Work to have a support system, which can include other caregivers, family, friends, and health care providers. 


One of the things that I wish I had realized and understood when I became a caregiver is that my role was not that of a savior. 

I had to take care of myself before I could be a caregiver for my father, and it is wholly acceptable to have boundaries that preserve my own health and well-being. 


Statistics and views from Colorado’s caregivers confirm that many of us are struggling in this area. Three in ten family caregivers experience seven or more days a month of poor physical health. Half (51%) of caregivers experience high emotional stress while caregiving. 


Three in ten (31%) have difficulty taking care of their own health while they focus on their care recipient’s needs. One-third (34%) feel alone while caregiving.

For Caregivers

My own experiences bear this out. Caregiving can be a wonderful thing in that you are in service to someone you deeply care for. However, I often forget to care for myself first—to put my own oxygen mask on before helping someone put theirs on— and both my personal health and boundaries suffer. 


If you are not a caregiver, consider what you can do to help one out. Make yourself available for practical assistance – think grocery store runs or other small tasks that can be difficult with everything else going on. Support state and federal policies that include commonsense solutions that will save family caregivers money and time while providing them with more support.


As a community, we can do much to lift up the million Coloradans working so hard to provide healthy, safe environments for friends and family as they age. 

Christine Harrell is a trauma-informed yoga teacher, Ayurveda Wellness Counselor, Massage Therapist, and works at a domestic violence support organization. Her goal in life is simple: to live fully, without attachment, to flow with life’s changes, and to embrace happiness and health in mind, body, and spirit. She loves being outdoors, discovering new restaurants and places, and, most of all, being with her kids and her friends, who are like family.

See family caregiving resources at: states.aarp.org/colorado/caregiver-resources

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