Caregiving in the Black Community: A Deep-Rooted Tradition

By:  Angela Ross, Communications Specialist,  Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care

One of the most selfless acts of kindness a person can provide is dedicating their life’s work to caring for the needs of others, which is exactly what caregivers do every day. This should be recognized and celebrated!

National Caregivers Day is February 20, 2026 and it’s a day developed in 2015 by the Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies. It’s dedicated to acknowledge and show appreciation for caregivers across the US.

Deciding to take on the role of a caregiver is a serious decision that should not to be taken lightly, as it is oftentimes a life-altering choice requiring consideration of the person receiving care, yourself, and those directly affected by the decision – like children or a spouse. 

In addition, February is Black History Month. This provides time to reflect on what caregiving means to those in the Black community…past and present. Does caring for a loved one look differently than the care provided by family 40 or 50 years ago? Black History Month is an opportune time to have conversations with aging loved ones who may soon require increased levels of care. This is especially important so those who may be expected to be a family caregiver and those receiving the care have a mutual understanding before the time comes. 

• A professional caregiver can work in homecare or hospice and provides a wide range of daily support, focusing on personal care (bathing, grooming, dressing), household management (meal prep, cleaning, laundry), health support (medication reminders, appointment transport) and of course companionship to patients who need it most. 
• A family caregiver is an individual who is typically unpaid and has made the commitment to provide care to a loved one – a parent, spouse, child, grandparent, aunt, or uncle. They’re charged with taking on all of the daily support tasks of a professional caregiver as noted above. Family caregivers are drastically increasing in the Black community with one reason being an increased distrust of medical providers. That’s based on skepticism by some people that the care provided is not specifically developed for Black individuals, and thus isn’t as precise as care provided to others. 

An article published by the University of Arizona, Black History Month: Honoring Generations of Family Caregivers, notes that the tradition of caring for each other across generations runs deep in the Black community. The article also notes that family, friends and community organizations step up to care for their loved ones while often balancing work, families, and other life and community responsibilities. Additionally, Black caregivers, especially women, often face greater financial burdens and workplace sacrifices, sometimes depleting savings or retirement accounts to pay for the necessary care. Many are also in the “sandwich generation” – caring for multiple age groups at the same time.

A Friend’s Journey
My close friend Martha has taken on the role of a family caregiver for her mother, who was diagnosed with dementia about three years ago. With none of her siblings willing to step up and the distrust that her mom has with having professional caregivers in her home, Martha had to retire early. She got a part-time job to provide full-time care for her mother. She goes to her mother’s home three times a day to prepare meals, clean house, administer medication, and groom and bathe her mother. She does all of her mother’s grocery shopping, takes her to appointments, and pays her bills. These tasks leave her with very little to no time to run her own errands, care for her own home, hang out with friends, or do her own selfcare. She’s told me on numerous occasions that she’s depleted and doesn’t know how much longer she’ll be able to be a full-time caregiver – but will as long as she’s physically able.

My Future Journey Toward Family Caregiving
I, too, have always vowed to care for my mother when the time comes. She took care of me as a child and gave her all to make sure I had everything I needed; caring for her in her old age will be my way to thank her for all she’s done. Seeing my friend Martha transition from a successful career-woman to a caregiver was hard and has made me think about this more deeply.

When the time comes for me to be on the family-caregiving side I plan to have an honest conversation with myself and those closest to me so I make an informed decision on what that care for my mother looks like. Depending on the situation at that time, this could look like me providing full-time care or me allowing a professional caregiver to come into my home to provide part-time care while I oversee every aspect of care. 

Those in the Black community, including myself, place a lot of strong cultural value in taking care of our own elders. We feel it’s our duty, a vow that’s been instilled in us for generations. It is believed that we can and will take care of our own family members better than anyone else, and if a facility is allowed to care for our loved one, then something goes wrong – we’re liable. I, too, plan to proudly carry the caregiving torch but will make sure it’s done in a way that’s best for my loved one, my family, and myself. 

To learn more about caregiving in the Black community watch the 27-minute docu-video:  “Caregiving in the Black community: Highlights from American Black Journal’s virtual town hall”