Kankakee Times

In a Feb. 17 Facebook post, Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) marked National Caregivers Day.

“Happy National Caregivers Day! National Caregivers Day is dedicated to the individuals across our country who selflessly care for our most vulnerable,” she wrote. “This not only includes health care professionals, but also the unpaid caregivers assisting their loved ones in need. Thank you to all those Illinois caregivers who dedicate themselves to the health and well-being of others.”

National Caregivers Day is the third Friday in February, and is an opportunity to recognize and thank those individuals who provide care for individuals who are incapable of doing things for themselves. According to Cake, an organization that helps individuals make end-of-life-plans, National Caregivers Day started with The Providers Association for Home Health and Hospice Agencies, in 2015. The first National Caregivers Day observance was Feb. 19, 2016.

A Place For Mom points out that caregivers work with a diverse population, not just elderly individuals. The organization also says that "the number of unpaid family caregivers in the U.S. increased by 9.5 million between 2015 and 2020, from 43.5 million to over 53 million." It also noted that "the number of people providing care for five years or longer has increased from 24% in 2015 to 28% in 2020."

Haas represents the 79th House District, which includes Kankakee, Will, and Grundy counties. She has 30 years professional experience as a social worker and in 1994, joined the Helen Wheeler Center for Community Mental Health. She became the organization's CEO in 2000.