Family caregiving is an informal and unpaid role that serves a valuable function in a household, community, and the larger society. And more than 63 million Americans are family caregivers, spread across every state and community.
Despite that prevalence, though, myths about caregiving still persist.
Here are 7 of them, plus their counter beliefs, as well as links to additional resources that may help you or someone you know during a season of caregiving.
Myth 1 – Caregiving is something that’s only for and by older adults.
Caregivers of all ages offer emotional support and help family members with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as walking, feeding, bathing, and taking medication. This includes children and youth, who fill these roles while juggling school work and trying to be children. All caregivers need support, and support is out there, including for children and adolescents who find themselves in a caregiving role.
Of the 63 million unpaid family caregivers in the U.S., according to the 2025 “Caregiving in the US” report, 29 percent are “sandwich caregivers” who care for both an adult and a child under 18 who’s still at home. These dual roles can lead to significant strain in multiple dimensions of a person’s wellness.
Sometimes people don’t recognize themselves as a caregiver. A caregiver is someone who provides physical, emotional, or logistical support to a family member, friend, or neighbor who needs help with daily tasks due to injury, disability or chronic illness.
Recognizing this allows you to seek resources, information and support for yourself, so you can continue to care well for those who are depending on your help.
Myth 2: If I’m going to be a caregiver, I need medical knowledge.
When someone needs you as a caregiver, it’s enough to show up as you are and trust that you can learn what you need when you need it. Other helpers – from medical professionals to those in and leading caregiver support groups – can guide you through.
The Family Caregiver Alliance offers online information about different health conditions, and options for caregiver support. Nationwide associations and societies that promote research, advocacy and support for specific health conditions such as cancer, dementia, or heart disease also offer caregiver support.
Myth 3 – Caregiving is something only family members do.
Sometimes close friends or neighbors provide care for someone, depending on circumstances. And that assistance may be occasionally, such as driving a friend to a medical appointment, or on a more consistent basis.
No matter who provides the care, from unpaid family caregivers to professional, paid staff, support is essential. It can come from many places – church and community groups, other family, friends, neighbors, and even employers.
About 70% of working-age family caregivers also have paid employment. So supportive workplaces also are essential.
And for all of us, here’s a guide to asking for, accepting, and offering help.
Which brings us to ….
Myth 4 – My loved one’s needs are the only ones that matter right now, not mine.
It can be tough to accept, but when you’re able to focus on taking care of you, too, you’ll be better able to care for your loved one. Self-care isn’t selfish. And it doesn’t have to be elaborate.
Even gap moments from caregiving can be restorative.
These brief respites often involve saying yes to some of the additional support that others may offer. When someone says, “Let me know if I can help,” most of us freeze, not knowing how to respond. Away from those deer-in-the-headlights moments, when might you be able to reflect on that question, so you can answer more confidently when the next person asks. Some people know what a situation calls for and can respond; but others don’t. They may have good intentions and just not know how to offer.
Do you need an hour away to run an errand solo, or to meet a friend for lunch? Someone to keep your loved one company while you take care of household needs, go for a walk, attend your medical appointments?
What could make a difference for you?
As you keep up with your own medical and self-care appointments, share with your medical provider that you’re a caregiver. They may know of additional resources that are local to you.
Myth 5 – I just need to stay positive.
A hard truth of caregiving is that it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. And expressing your frustration (to someone other than your loved one) can be healthy.
So who can you turn to?
Sometimes, friends can fill these roles. Other times, therapists, social workers, chaplains and support groups can be helpful places to vent and in return receive wise counsel. Check in with your church, temple or other house of worship. Call a senior center or council on aging in your county or town to see what support services exist. Or dial 211 to speak with someone for local community resources.
Myth 6 – No one can care for (or understand) my loved one as well as I can; I need to do it all.
While you know your loved one best, sometimes it’s good to let someone else take over for a short while. It can be difficult to trust or say yes to offers of help, but it can be beneficial for everyone. If you’re reluctant to leave your loved one alone with someone else at first, start small. Take 30 minutes to run a quick errand nearby, or go outside or to another part of your home while someone else stays closer by your loved one. Gradually you can work up to longer times away, as you’re comfortable.
It’s a process.
Myth 7: Asking for help is a sign of weakness.
We’re geared to think that way, aren’t we? That we should be able to shoulder it all ourselves, or we don’t want others to see our messes. But in the case of caregiving, not asking for (or accepting offers of) help is a quick recipe for stress and burnout.
It’s not easy for caregivers immediately to accept that these myths about caregiving might not be serving them. That, too, is a process.
But perhaps we all can help empower the caregivers in our lives, through more support and encouragement.
The late Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady of the United States and a caregiver advocate, said, “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 a caregiver.”
Which role are you in right now, and how might you care for a caregiver today?
If you need help establishing healthy habits that stick, you may benefit from working with a coach. Amy Hoogervorst helps sandwich-generation women carve out space for meaningful self-care, so they can keep prioritizing who and what matters most. Subscribe to the Well Check newsletter below to learn more!