Who are we? This is a question everyone faces at some point in their life. What makes me unique? What are my greatest qualities? What do I want to be known as? Finding one’s sense of self is a daunting task, and for caregivers it is even more challenging.

Aging: it is an inevitable part of living, but it isn’t always easy. For many in the U.S., aging is accompanied by disability, onset of new diseases, and a changing social networks and social roles. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults face these same struggles, along with many other challenges.

When we typically think of a hero, they wear a distinctive suit, a long cape, and often have some type of unique power. Of course, these heroes are only in movies. Our real-life heroes are those who fight for our freedom and protect our families; our real heroes are the soldiers and veterans. And, unlike the heroes of Hollywood, often these heroes return home with both physical and psychological wounds, and require the support of a caregiver.

Just as a doctor needs to be trained to treat patients, a family caregiver needs to be trained to effectively care for their loved one. Almost half of caregivers in the United States have had to complete medical tasks for the care recipient, including managing medications, preparing special meals, giving injections, and operating medical equipment

Imagine working your job, but for no pay. But not just any job. This job has difficult and unpredictable days and countless nights spent in overtime—all without monetary compensation. This is the life of a typical family caregiver: working—often full-time— and not getting paid for it.

Just like the phrase, “You can’t fall in love with someone else until you love yourself,” you cannot care for someone else without caring for yourself. Because caregiving can be such a stressful job, forty to seventy percent of caregivers suffer from significant depressive symptoms, which can decrease a caregiver’s ability to provide effective care