I’ve been a family caregiver since my mother came to live with me in October 2014.

She had been having trouble living alone in Georgia, and I started getting phone calls from her friends there to tell me that it was time to bring her to Illinois. Happily, my mother didn’t fight me too much.

I knew that she had mild dementia, not because my mother ever told me, but because another of her friends who is a nurse told me.

Still, I had no idea what I was in for when she came to live with us. She had vascular dementia, and her condition worsened until she died in April 2018.

Of course, I worked as hard as I could to make her last years happy and healthy. And I’m grateful for all the lessons taking care of my mother taught me, since I’ve been using them to this day.

My husband, Tony, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2015. Of course, the bulk of his symptoms didn’t appear at the beginning, so he could help me a little bit in caring for my mother.

These days, my life revolves around the care of my husband. He now requires help in just about everything. Lately, he’s even needed help in eating, since he gets easily distracted and forgets what to do with the plate in front of him.

I’ve written about this journey of family caregiving for years, not because I think I deserve credit, but in a desire to educate and to let other family caregivers know that they aren’t alone. Our experiences are similar, even if we never get a chance to meet.

November is National Family Caregivers Month. Family caregivers can be like me, caring for those with dementia. However, they can also be caring for those with disabilities or other conditions.

The objective of the month is to recognize the more than 50 million of us in the United States who care for loved ones. It’s a labor of love, but it often requires a lot of sacrifices.

The theme for this year’s month, according to the Caregiver Action Network, is “Plug-in to Care.” It aims to connect caregivers with the right resources at the right time and in the right way.

But what can the average person do if they want to help a caregiver? After all, it’s something that many want to do but just don’t know where to start. And if I’m honest, it can sometimes be difficult for us caregivers to reach out and ask for help. No doubt many of us are working on it.

Here are a few suggestions courtesy of the makers of “Unseen,” a documentary that chronicles the lives of parent caregivers. Find more information on the film at caregiverdoc.com.

Provide respite care: If you’d like to do this regularly, that would be great. But even once would be helpful. Spend a morning (or afternoon or evening) with their loved one so the caregiver can run errands or do something fun for themselves. It’s a priceless gift that should never be minimized.

Check in regularly: Listen when the caregiver wants to talk but do so without offering advice or an opinion. You don’t have to fix their problems, but you should acknowledge the value of the work they do. Just listening can be such a support.

Be specific with your offers: When caregivers are overwhelmed, it can be difficult to know what to ask for. Offering the standard “let me know if you need anything” rarely is going to go anywhere. Could you organize a few days of meals within your friend circle so that the caregiver can get a break? Or could you organize a day of respite for the caregiver each month using that same friend circle?

Help with chores: Can you bring dinner? Maybe you see that they need their grass mowed or their snow shoveled. Doing these seemingly little things really does ease a caregiver’s burden and makes them feel supported. So pay attention to what needs to be done.

Keep inviting them: Even if you know they can’t come, make sure you invite them anyway. It makes a caregiver feel remembered and less isolated, and it lets them know you’re thinking of them. And you never know; maybe they’ll be able to make it happen.

Offer encouragement: A card, text message or even a small gift can brighten a caregiver’s day. Let them know that you appreciate their efforts and see what a great job they’re doing.

All these suggestions are things that I can get behind, and a lot of them have helped me in my own caregiving journey.

Can you make a caregiver feel less alone? Can you make one feel supported and appreciated? If you make the effort, know that your own efforts will be so appreciated.

• Joan Oliver is the former Northwest Herald assistant news editor. She has been associated with the Northwest Herald since 1990. She can be reached at jolivercolumn@gmail.com.