National Family Caregivers Month, 2017

Proclamation 9668 of October 31, 2017

National Family Caregivers Month, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every day, compassionate Americans devote time, energy,
and resources to ensure that family members who are
disabled, elderly, chronically ill, or injured can
remain in the stability and comfort of familiar
surroundings. During National Family Caregivers Month,
we honor those whose extraordinary selflessness
provides others with independence and comfort.

The unselfish devotion of family caregivers affirms the
importance of respecting the dignity of life in all
stages and underscores the importance of the family
unit. Family caregivers empower their spouses, parents,
and siblings to maintain ties with family, friends, and
community. They also enable their loved ones to live
with a measure of independence, sense of security, and
peace of mind.

Many family caregivers provide innumerable services to
people in need, including meal preparation, shopping,
finance management, transportation, and companionship.
In addition, they often manage both simple and complex
healthcare issues, and coordinate medical appointments
to ensure continuity of care. Caregivers must often be
available around the clock, which can require them to
forgo or postpone priorities for their own lives.
Through sacrificial love, caregivers endure emotional,
physical, and financial strain for the sake of another.

My Administration proudly supports community efforts
and programs across the country that equip caregivers
to navigate emotionally complex situations. The
Administration for Community Living, through the
National Family Caregiver Support Program and Lifespan
Respite Care Program, facilitates services for eligible
caregivers, including counseling, training, support
groups, and respite care. The Caregiver Support Program
within the Department of Veterans Affairs helps address
the specific needs of those who provide critical
support to our Nation's veterans, offering education,
financial assistance, peer support mentoring, and
respite care services to eligible family members.

Each November we acknowledge the commitment of
exceptional Americans who embody the compassion and
spirit of our Nation. We support the life-affirming
work of our Nation's caregivers and thank them for the
sacrificial devotion that improves the lives and honors
the dignity of their loved ones.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States do hereby proclaim November 2017 as
National Family Caregivers Month. I encourage all
Americans to acknowledge, and express our gratitude to,
all who provide compassionate care to enhance the lives
of their loved ones in need.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
second.