Celebrate Our Seniors: Care for the Caregiver

By Jaime Cobb Tinsley | September 24, 2025

Editor’s Note: This article was written and submitted by senior living executive Jaime Cobb-Tinsley. If you are a senior living executive at an organization or a community with an idea for an article that you’d like to write and publish in Senior Living News you’re welcome to submit your idea or written article to Jim Nelson at jnelson@seniorlivingnews.com. We welcome all ideas relating to senior living.

Someone with Dementia is Not a Problem to be Solved; That Person is Someone to Be Loved.

At The James L. West Center for Dementia Care, that is one of our core beliefs. And we feel the same way about family caregivers. They need to be loved and appreciated for the kind and generous people that they are, as they unselfishly care for their loved ones.

Our older loved ones have paved the way, and they still have much to teach us. At this stage in life, they deserve recognition and meaningful care.

As we celebrate older adults, we must also focus on the ones walking alongside them — family members and friends providing care, often at great personal cost. We must invest in their well-being, increase available resources, and advocate for solutions that strengthen the caregiving network.

The recent report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving reaffirms what we are seeing here in the Fort Worth-Dallas area: With the projected growth of 63 million Americans serving as home caregivers, they need more education and support.

The report reveals some staggering numbers:

• One in four adults is a caregiver, with 94 percent caring for an adult

• Twenty-nine percent of these caregivers are members of the sandwich generation — caring for a parent or grandparent in addition to their own children

• While more than 40 percent of family caregivers provide high-intensity care, only 22 percent receive any formal training

• Twenty percent of family caregivers are in poor health, and 25 percent are taking on debt to care for a family member

At The West Center, we have been teaching the urgency of this simple message: Care for the Caregiver. Whenever a caregiver becomes ill or is not available, a cascade of consequences could follow.

The loved one with dementia is either left with little or no care; inexperienced family members step in to do their best to serve; or the family must now hire a professional caregiver who, being new to the family, needs to earn the trust of the loved one who is living with dementia.

The anxiety that follows will change the dynamic of the home. Most importantly, the loved one with dementia may become confused and uncertain about the changes.

We are helping these caregivers by alleviating some of their stress and showing them that they are not walking this journey alone. There are valuable free resources available to help family caregivers recognize that their own health is also critical.

“Care for the Caregiver” is an Essential Priority.

When I joined The West Center 13 years ago, I created a six-module caregiver education program focused on the disease and how to care for a loved one with dementia.

The key points:

• Earning trust

• Listening to and observing the loved one closely

• Responding to spoken and unspoken needs

• Communicating well with the family

The growing demand for more dementia information led me to develop more programs, all initially presented in person onsite at The West Center, and later at local senior centers, churches, and community centers.

When the pandemic arrived, we pivoted to an online platform that has helped thousands of families across the state and nation become more educated and capable in caregiving.

We began producing a robust curriculum, resulting in over 100 individual programs that caregivers and care organizations can access, still at absolutely no charge.

“Care for the Caregiver”: Specific Sessions

We hear daily that we are providing valuable guidance for family and professional caregivers to help them prioritize their own needs so they can better care for their family members. Our messaging helps them realize the essential value of their health.

Some of the more popular caregiver topics have been:

• Alzheimer’s & Dementia Family Caregiver Training

• Burnout and Compassion Fatigue in Family Caregivers

• Reducing Caregiver Stress

• Stress-Busting for Family Caregivers

• What to Expect as Dementia Progresses

The Stress Busting for Family Caregivers program has earned the BPC (Best Programs for Caregiving) certification from the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging.

After all, preventing caregivers from experiencing burnout is one of the most important roles we can play.

I encourage you to help your family caregivers balance their own health with the stress of caregiving. Offer to step in and help with the caregiving responsibilities so they can have periods of rest and relief that can help them feel rejuvenated and have the energy to continue to provide care compassionately.

This article has been lightly edited for style and formatting.