Caregivers in Missouri

November is the time to support and honor our nation’s caregivers during National Family Caregivers Month.  This year’s theme is “Caregiving Around the Clock”, which represents those families who are often caregiving “around the clock”.  That means dedication, organization, responsibility, scheduling, and hands-on care. 
According to the AARP and the National Alliance for Family Caregiving, families are often the primary source of support for older adults and people with disabilities. In fact, today in America, more than 53 million family caregivers provide unpaid care. That's an economic value totaling more than $600 billion.  Caregivers, especially those providing informal (unpaid) care to family and loved ones, are vitally important yet they are often not recognized or celebrated nearly enough.
Caregivers give many kinds of support including:

  • Personal: Bathing, personal hygiene, dressing and toileting, getting in and out of bed or a chair, and meal preparation and feeding
  • Medical: organization and giving medications, managing and attending appointments, maintaining medical records and information, managing therapies and treatments, arranging nursing and other medical supports, and performing basic medical needs
  • Other life management tasks: shopping for food, clothing and other essentials, providing transportation or organizing transportation, managing families and paying bills, and housekeeping and home maintenance

Missouri’s Caregiver of the Year

two women

Do you know someone who puts their life on hold to care for an ill family member or friend? If so, the Department of Health and Senior Services invites you to nominate that person for Caregiver of the Year.

The department will feature a story and photo of an unpaid caregiver each month. By December, an overall Caregiver of the Year will be selected. If you would like to nominate someone, complete the nomination form and the photo release form. Send both forms, along with a digital photo of the caregiver, to dsdsofficeofconstituentservices@health.mo.gov.

2025 Caregivers of the Month

A Special Thank You from Melanie Highland, Director, Division of Senior and Disability Services

Beginning in 2017, the Department of Health and Senior Services began recognizing unpaid caregivers throughout Missouri. We wanted to give a face to these unsung heroes. We also wanted to provide caregivers with information on how to keep their loved ones safe at home and give them tips on how to manage their own stress. Since then, we have received numerous heart warming nominations making it very difficult to choose just one winner each month. I want to thank everyone who submitted nominations over the past years. I also want to encourage everyone to continue to submit nominations as we continue to honor caregivers in the future!

2023 Caregivers of the Month

2022 Caregivers of the Month

2019 Caregivers of the Month

2018 Caregivers of the Month

2017 Caregivers of the Month

Resources