by Dr. Arcelita Imasa
Mabuhay po kayong mga caregivers!
First and foremost, maraming salamat po sa inyo! Thank you for all that you do.
Caregivers are among the most compassionate people in our communities. If you are a caregiver, please know this and never forget it. And if you know someone who is a caregiver, count yourself lucky!
As part of the Hawaii Workers Center — founded in 2020 to advocate for the rights of low-wage workers — I had the honor of helping organize caregiver appreciation events in the past two months. And the experience has been nothing short of fulfilling.
At our events, we were deeply moved to hear pieces of caregivers’ life stories — their journeys, their challenges, their hopes.
It’s not easy to step into someone else’s shoes, but these caregivers bravely opened up and allowed us to understand a part of what they go through. The challenge for us, in turn, was to truly listen and learn from their experiences. I left those events feeling both wiser and inspired.
June 7 is recognized as World Caring Day, or Caregivers Day. Care is a powerful word. To me, it means putting another person’s well-being above one’s own.
For caregivers, this is not just an occasional act — it’s a way of life. Every minute, they show up with love, strength, and patience.
On this Caregivers Day, let’s take a moment to recognize our caregivers as some of the most selfless and compassionate individuals in our community.
This day is a special day, let it be a gesture of our deep and collective gratitude. Caregiving is one of the hardest and most meaningful roles anyone can take on.
I know this firsthand — I worked as a caregiver myself for many years while putting myself through college. I didn’t mind the lack of applause or fanfare for the hard work I was doing back then. And I know many caregivers feel the same.
But I also earned a lot from that work experience. Not everyone can take on this role. It requires patience, strength, empathy, and unwavering commitment.
Whether it’s offering daily support, companionship, or simply being present during difficult times, caregivers make a profound difference, often quietly and without recognition.
And, caregivers are not paid enough. Many lack the workplace protections that become essential when injuries happen on the job. Caregivers often can’t save for retirement, and they go without basic benefits that every worker deserves.
Many caregivers are either paid under the table, by private employers, or through compensation tied to Medicare and Medicaid-funded programs.
Mental health challenges — including depression and guilt — are also common among caregivers due to the demanding and emotional nature of the work.
I often reflect on Hawaii’s history of migration and how it shaped the caregiving workforce today.
How did so many Filipinos, for example, come to be in this line of work? How did caregiving come to be seen as “women’s work”? How did we transition from plantation labor to caregiving, pushing caregiving into the realm of immigrant labor?
These are questions we must keep asking.
So today, and every day, as a community, let’s shine a light on our caregivers. Let us show that we see their sacrifices.
Let us honor the care they provide — not just with words, but with our hearts and actions. Everything we can do is possible in part because of the quiet strength of caregivers.
Caregiver appreciation means more than saying “thank you.” It’s about acknowledging the humanity and dignity caregivers bring into every life they touch.
Without caregivers, our loved ones would be lost. Many lives would feel less hopeful.
To all caregivers out there: we celebrate you. We appreciate you. And we are so proud to stand with you. Thank you for everything that you do.
To our community: let’s lift up our caregivers in every way we can. Let’s come together and make advocacy for caregivers something we do every day. Contact me at hiworkerscenter@gmail.com.
DR. ARCELITA IMASA is a practicing family physician and the secretary of the Hawaii Workers Center’s Executive Committee of the Board. She grew up in the Philippines before migrating to Hawaii with her family more than a decade ago.
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