DOLLY PARTON'S STORY SHINES A LIGHT ON THE HIDDEN TOLL OF CAREGIVING

In the wake of Dolly Parton’s death at age 80, comments she made about caring for her longtime husband, Carl Dean, are drawing new attention to an all-too-common reality: caregivers often become so focused on the health of someone they love that they neglect their own.

Parton and Dean were married for nearly 60 years before his death in 2025. As his health declined, Parton devoted herself to his care. She later acknowledged that during his illness and in the difficult period following his death, she stopped paying adequate attention to her own health.

“Back when my husband Carl was sick, that was a long time,” said Parton in a video posted online. “And then he passed, I didn’t take care of myself, so I let a lot of things go that I should have been taking care of.”

According to Dr. Neetu Abad, director of the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program, Parton’s experience is extremely common. Caregivers may miss routine screenings and medical appointments, forget their own medications, or put off preventive care because the needs of the person they are caring for feel more urgent. And the toll isn’t only physical. Caregiving can affect mental and emotional well-being, relationships, social connections, and financial stability.

Parton’s experience is particularly striking because it demonstrates that caregiver strain can affect anyone, regardless of financial resources or access to care. Caregivers often feel an enormous sense of responsibility for the person they love and may even feel guilty about taking time for themselves or asking someone else to help.

Per a CNN report, 23% of caregivers report that they find it difficult to pay attention to their own health while caring for another. The percentage goes up for female, LGBTQ+, Latino and lower-income caregivers.

Parton’s experience offers an important reminder for millions of family caregivers: your health matters, too. Asking for help and making time for your own physical and emotional well-being doesn’t diminish the care you give someone you love. It helps make that care sustainable.

For Parkinson’s caregivers, consider joining a support group like PRO’s weekly Partner in Care meeting or reach out to RPO directly for help navigating support systems. And on the toughest days, in Dolly’s honor, give a listen to “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” You deserve to care for you.