In a society that often prioritizes visible productivity, measured in profit figures, there exists a silent and essential army whose work is rarely recognized in its full magnitude: caregivers.

They are anonymous pillars, usually family members, who dedicate their lives, time, and energy to assisting a loved one with a chronic illness, disability, or dependency. Their altruism is one of the greatest expressions of love, but the reality is that the price of this commitment can become an unsustainable burden, one that is frequently borne by women.

The act of caring is physically and emotionally exhausting. The primary caregiver often sacrifices their career, social interactions, health, and financial well-being. This constant strain has a name: caregiver burnout. The symptoms are clear and alarming: chronic exhaustion, social isolation, depression, anxiety, and even problems with serious physical health problems are often ignored because the dependent person is always perceived as the priority.

The paradox is cruel: to be able to offer quality long-term care, the caregiver must be healthy. However, the system and the culture often push them to the brink of collapse.

“Caring for the caregiver” is not just a self-help slogan; it’s a matter of public health and social justice. We cannot afford to ignore these people. If the support that holds up the young child, the family member with a disability, the sick person, or the dependent elderly person gives way, an entire family structure collapses with it, a structure in which they fulfil an often undervalued role.

In recent years, several regulations have been approved in Cuba aimed at supporting those who perform this role, including Decree 109, published in the Official Gazette of the Republic on October 15, 2024, which establishes the National System for Comprehensive Life Care, demonstrating the country's commitment to coordinating different policies and Programs related to care needs and, at the same time, to the protection of caregivers.

However, for many reasons, laws are not enough. On the one hand, changes are needed in the social and family perception of this activity, so that the pressures and demands do not become a noose around the neck of one or more family members, but rather that roles are defined and shared based on fair and dynamic agreements and negotiations where the opportunity to take a break and have a respite is guaranteed equally for everyone.

On the other hand, awareness of self-care is an urgent matter, not a luxury: learning to say "no" to additional requests, or to delegate non-essential tasks; accepting external help; prioritizing an adequate sleep routine as the foundation for maintaining the physical energy necessary for daily work; breaking isolation, since loneliness is one of the greatest dangers: maintaining contact with friends, participating in support groups, or finding hobbies unrelated to caregiving is a powerful antidepressant.

Caregiving is the invisible engine that allows many people go on living with dignity. It's time to stop seeing caregivers as stoic heroes who must be able to handle everything. We must accept them for what they are: human beings who fulfill a vital function and who deserve, by right, to be cared for as well.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff