Viewpoint: Give thanks for our caregivers

Sandy Bailey

This Thanksgiving, as we gather with loved ones, let’s pause to honor Montana’s unsung heroes: the 214,000 family caregivers who keep our families whole. I know their sacrifices firsthand as I spent time caring for my significant other, balancing meals, medications, and midnight worries while holding down a job.

These Montanans -- 23.8% of our adults -- provide $1.76 billion in unpaid care annually, helping parents, spouses, and neighbors stay independent at home. They bathe, feed, and manage complex medical tasks like injections and wound care, often with no training.

The cost is staggering. Eight in 10 caregivers spend their own money, averaging $7,200 yearly, about a quarter of their income. Nearly half face debt or skip essentials like food and medicine. Over half juggl