November is National Family Caregivers Month, a national observance led by Caregiver Action Network. It is a time to recognize the roughly 63 million Americans, nearly one in four adults, who provide ongoing care for a family member or friend.

The ones who punched a clock, raised a family on a paycheck, kept a household running, or spent decades in a job that never made the newspaper. That kind of work deserves a holiday. What it does not deserve is a quiet assumption that once the last shift ends, the useful part of life is over. Clocking out of paid work is not being put out to pasture. It is not giving up. It is a change of assignment. The skills that made someone a good employee, neighbor, parent, or grandparent – showing up, figuring things out, looking after other people – do not expire with a retirement party. They just need a new place to go.

April is National Poetry Month, a time to celebrate the beauty and power of verse. Poetry has a unique way of capturing the complexities of life, especially the experience of growing older.

Meet Jim and Alice, who are bravely facing serious illness and family challenges with the help of ACC and Adult Protective Services.

Meet Jim and Alice, who are bravely facing serious illness and family challenges with the help of ACC and Adult Protective Services.

Meet Jim and Alice, who are bravely facing serious illness and family challenges with the help of ACC and Adult Protective Services.