The Resilient Journey of Caregivers
On Nov. 25, 2024, Pat Sanchez received a call from her son Steven that would change both of their lives forever.
“He said he wasn’t feeling well,” recalls Pat, Steven’s primary caregiver. “I asked him what he felt like, and he said he didn’t know. Then, the phone went silent. I kept asking him if he was ok, but he began mumbling his words.”
As Pat continued to ask her son to repeat himself, his words and the sounds he was making over the phone only got worse. Steven Sanchez, then a healthy 46-year-old, sustained a stroke during his daily commute to work on the bus.
“I was terrified,” said Pat. “I couldn’t understand him on the phone and wasn’t sure what was happening or if he was alone. All I could make out was that he was on the city bus and thankfully, I knew the exact bus route he takes to work.”
Today, Pat is Steven’s primary caregiver; a change that has affected her life in ways that forced her to reflect on what’s important, find a strong community and remain open and honest about the challenges she faces in both caregiving and self-care.
“I went from mother to caregiver overnight,” says Pat. “At times I’ve struggled with remembering to care for myself and hiding my feelings. It’s been important for me to have a good community of people around me who help keep me strong and real with myself.”
According to a recent study by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, over 63 million U.S. adults are family caregivers, which is an increase of 50% over the last 10 years. For people like Pat, the experience has been both rewarding and challenging.
“Some of the hardest moments of caregiving have been seeing my son cry, struggle to walk or even do basic things while fighting to get back some normalcy in his life,” says Pat. “But there are rewarding moments too, like seeing him stand again for the first time or seeing his face light up and smile every day when he sees me.”
In January 2025, Steven was referred to ConnectAbility, a passion initiative of Warm Springs Foundation (WSF) and part of the WSF Circle of Care. With their care coordination, Steven is receiving the support he needs, and he continues to look toward the future while remaining grateful for his mother.
“I hope one day I am able to walk and go back to work,” says Steven. “I also hope that one day I am able to contribute back to my mother for all her help and what she has done for me.”
Behind every recovery, every breakthrough and every moment of resilience, there’s often a caregiver. While every caregiver’s journey may be different, Pat encourages others to find strength and resilience in caregiving.
“Every day is a challenge,” says Pat. “For my fellow caregivers, remember that you matter too. Take a breath, it’s all going to work out.”
Key Takeaways:
- November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to pause and say thank you to every spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend and neighbor who show up every day with compassion and strength as a caregiver.
- At Warm Springs Foundation, we proudly support organizations like ConnectAbility and others in our Circle of Care who provide life-altering possibilities for those living with trauma-related disabilities and their caregivers.