You've missed work for a parent's appointment. You've used PTO to sit with a family member in the hospital, or called in sick because there was no one else to stay with them. Maybe you've quietly worried about getting through the workday because of what's happening at home. If someone asked, you might not call yourself a caregiver. Many people don't, even while they're doing exactly that.

You're not the only one carrying this quietly. When HR Life and Work Connections asked caregivers across campus what would help, they answered clearly: they want a place to talk about what they're navigating with people who actually understand it.

What Caregiver Community Connections Is

Caregiver Gatherings is a monthly virtual gathering for university employees and students caring for aging parents, in-laws, or other adult family members. Each session pairs a short educational segment with open conversation among caregivers. Cameras are optional, and you're welcome to drop in on the months that work for you and skip the ones that don't.

The educational portion is sometimes recorded so you can catch up if you miss a live session. The conversation portion is not recorded, so what's shared in the room stays there.

What Caregivers Told Us

Thirty-seven caregivers from across the university, including staff outside Arizona, shaped this program through a survey. Here's what they said they wanted most:

• 81% wanted brief educational content paired with open conversation
• 76% wanted to talk through specific caregiving topics
• 54% wanted peer support: a space to listen and be heard

The topics that drew the most interest were navigating healthcare systems and medical decisions (78%), managing stress and preventing burnout (70%), financial and legal planning (65%), and balancing work with caregiving (59%).

Caregiving can be an isolating experience. The National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that 43.5 million Americans are family caregivers for a relative or friend, many of them carrying that role quietly, without peer support or community. This gathering exists to close that gap, one conversation at a time.

You Don't Have to Do This Alone

This gathering exists because caregivers across the university asked for it. Come for one session or all three. However you show up, you don't have to carry this alone.

Fall 2026 Caregiver Gatherings

What to Expect

• Monthly, virtual, drop-in — no need to attend every session
• 45 to 60 minutes via Zoom
• Cameras optional
• A brief educational segment, followed by open peer conversation