May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since its creation in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been used to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans' lives while erasing the stigma that is often attached to it. Dr. Macie Smith, a SYNERGY HomeCare gerontologist and social worker, believes that attention to self-care in the form of reducing emotional stress, being kind to oneself, and improving overall health is also important to address during Mental Health Awareness Month. Family caregivers, who often have to juggle many responsibilities, such as taking care of their children as well as taking care of their older loved ones, can also face mental health problems that tend to result in extreme stress and caregiver burnout.
