November Is National Family Caregivers Month: 13 Million Dementia Caregivers, 19 Billion Hours — and the Free Help Most Families Never Claim

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and this year two campaigns put the scale of unpaid care on the record. The Alzheimer’s Association, under the theme “Caregiving Changes Everything” (announced November 2, 2026), counts nearly 13 million Americans providing unpaid care to someone living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia — more than 19 billion hours of care in 2025 alone. The Caregiver Action Network (CAN), which has led the observance since 1997 under this year’s theme “Care Connects Us,” estimates as many as 100 million Americans provide unpaid care across all conditions — many of whom do not call themselves caregivers at all. Recognition is nice; claimed help is better. Here is what is free, what runs only in November, and what stays open all year.

What dementia caregivers actually carry

Beyond hands-on daily help, dementia caregivers coordinate appointments, manage medications, make financial and legal decisions, keep the home safe, and provide transport — a workload the Alzheimer’s Association notes leaves many feeling isolated and overwhelmed. If that description fits you, the resources below were built for exactly that load.

Free help most families never claim

• Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline: 800.272.3900 — free, around the clock, for dementia caregiving questions and crisis support.
• ALZ Talks — the Association’s on-demand webinars on caregiving topics.
• Caregiver education, support groups, and care-planning tools from the Alzheimer’s Association — free, and not limited to November.
• CAN Help Desk and the events calendar at NFCMonth.org — Caregiver Action Network’s support channel and the month’s official event listings.

November-only: the events

CAN’s “Care in Context” conversation series runs on Mondays through November, and its Hill Briefing & Town Hall takes place November 9. These end with the month — the helplines and support programs above do not.

For the people around a caregiver

The Alzheimer’s Association’s own guidance for supporters is concrete, not sentimental: bring a meal, run an errand, cover a few hours so the caregiver can rest, or simply make the check-in call. Small, specific offers get accepted; “let me know if you need anything” usually does not.

Key Takeaways

• Nearly 13 million Americans provide unpaid dementia care — 19+ billion hours in 2025 (Alzheimer’s Association, Nov 2, 2026).
• CAN estimates as many as 100 million Americans provide unpaid care overall; its 2026 theme is “Care Connects Us.”
• Free year-round help: Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline 800.272.3900, ALZ Talks, support groups and care-planning tools, and the CAN Help Desk.
• November’s events (Care in Context Mondays; Hill Briefing & Town Hall Nov 9) end Nov 30 — the support programs do not.