SC Barg
There is a moment—every caregiver knows it—when the world shifts. After receiving life-changing news about a loved one, you wait weeks to see a specialist. You arrive at the appointment and realize you are “just” the spouse, the adult child, or the friend sitting quietly in the corner. The nurses and doctors move quickly, making decisions without your input. The doctor enters, examines your loved one, and leaves without asking your questions or offering a clear next-step plan to address the condition that has turned your world upside down.
When my brother moved home to help our mother care for our father, he experienced this dynamic at nearly every appointment. He would call me afterward, frustrated and unsure whether he was being disrespectful by asking the doctor to return and answer his questions. He knew he needed a voice—but didn’t always feel empowered to use it.
That passion—to give caregivers a voice—led Gary, more than 30 years ago, to found Caregiver.com, Today’s Caregiver magazine, and the Fearless Caregiver Conferences, all with a single mission: to educate and support caregivers as they step into the role of CEO of Caring for Your Loved One, Inc.
I have said this to Fearless Caregiver audiences for decades, and I say it again because I believe it deeply: caregiving is one of the most demanding executive roles in the world. It requires strategic thinking, financial awareness, emotional intelligence, crisis management, and above all, a sustaining love. Most people step into this role without training, without a manual, and without compensation. That does not make them unqualified—it makes them extraordinary.
Running the Most Important Company You Never Applied For
Think about what a CEO does. They oversee multiple departments—finance, operations, human resources, communications, and long-term strategy. They manage crises. They negotiate. They lead teams under pressure toward meaningful outcomes. Now think about your role.
You manage medications, insurance claims, medical appointments, and family dynamics. You may coordinate a team of aides or volunteers. You navigate complex conversations with physicians who speak in clinical shorthand while your loved one sits beside you, frightened or exhausted. You make financial decisions that can impact your family for years. You balance your career, your relationships, and your own health—while ensuring your loved one feels safe, respected, and cared for.
If that isn’t executive-level responsibility, what is?
At our Fearless Caregiver Conferences, I have watched caregivers respond to this idea with recognition—not because it flatters them, but because it reflects the truth. It gives language to the responsibility they carry and the skills they’ve developed. It validates that what they are doing matters.
Building Your Board of Directors
No effective CEO operates alone. They build a board of directors—trusted advisors who provide expertise, perspective, and honest guidance. As the CEO of your loved one’s care, you need the same. Your “board” may include a primary care physician who understands your loved one’s history, relevant specialists, a pharmacist who monitors medication interactions, and a social worker who knows available resources. It may also include an elder mediator—someone trained to help families navigate difficult decisions collaboratively.
As a certified mediator through the Supreme Court of Florida, specializing in elder mediation and shared family decision-making, I have seen firsthand that families struggle most when one person tries to carry everything alone or when there is no clear process for making decisions before a crisis occurs. Building your support team early is one of the most important steps you can take.
The CEO’s Most Important Responsibility: Self-Preservation
This is where many caregiver CEOs struggle: you cannot run a company if you collapse. Research consistently shows that caregivers experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and weakened immune function. Many skip their own appointments, sacrifice sleep, and neglect their well-being while focusing entirely on their loved one. This is not sustainable.
Your health is not optional—it is essential. Without you, the entire system of care is at risk. That means scheduling your own appointments, accepting help, and protecting even small moments of time for yourself—a short walk, a meaningful conversation, or a quiet cup of coffee.
Taking care of yourself is not stepping away from your loved one. It is ensuring that you can continue to show up with strength, clarity, and compassion.
So step into the role. Claim the responsibility. You are the CEO of Caring for Your Loved One, Inc. And your leadership matters more than you may ever realize.
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