Labor Day Caregiver Stories About Strength, Sacrifice, and Love

This Labor Day it is important to recognize the millions of family caregivers who work full-time jobs while also managing the demanding responsibilities of caring for loved ones across generations.

These caregivers provide vital support that often goes unseen, from managing complex medical needs to navigating emotional and logistical challenges.

The following stories shine a light on the strength and grace of these working caregivers.

1. Krista: Pursuing Education While Caring for Two Generations

Krista Scales-Blowe's exemplifies the balance of caregiving with personal growth. While pursuing a master's degree in clinical psychology, she works full-time as a civil servant, raises her 11-year-old son, and cares for her 64-year-old mother who has faced repeated hospitalizations.

Despite the chaos, Krista emphasizes that her academic studies equip her with emotional intelligence and empathy that are already helping her advocate for her family.

That blend of professional development, caregiving, and parenting speaks to her incredible resilience. Read the essay published in the Business Insider here.

2. Diane: Love That Replaced a Paycheck

Diane Chew, a retired business and life coach from New Hope, Pennsylvania, made the profound decision to leave her career to become a full-time caregiver for her husband, Ben, who suffers from Lewy body dementia.

Lewy body dementia is a challenging brain disorder that affects memory, movement, and thinking, and there is no cure. Diane faces unique caregiving challenges as Ben’s strength and mobility require constant care, including nightly nursing help to allow Diane rest.

Despite the emotional and financial strain, Diane manages Ben's care with help from healthcare aides and has had to dip into their retirement funds, paying about $15,000 a month for his care.

Her story reflects the personal sacrifices and deep commitment involved in caregiving, as well as the critical need for broader societal support for family caregivers like herself.

Read the article from Axios here.

3.Aisha: Choosing Care Over Career

A story from the Time Magazine article focuses on Aisha Adkins and her experience caring for her mother, Rosetta, who was diagnosed with dementia at age 59. Rosetta was determined to age at home, but the cost of round-the-clock in-home care was prohibitively expensive, and she did not qualify for government assistance initially. Faced with these challenges, Aisha had to quit her job to provide full-time care for her mother Aisha’s caregiving journey lasted more than a decade, during which she balanced her career and schooling decisions based on her mother's needs.

Her story highlights the "missing middle" of seniors who are not wealthy enough to pay for extensive care but too financially secure to qualify for Medicaid, leaving families to shoulder most of the burden. Read her full story here.