Caregiving can take its toll physically and emotionally. Higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression are common among those who care for a relative or friend, and studies show caregivers who experience chronic stress may be at a greater risk of experiencing their own cognitive and physical decline. NBC News/MSNBC anchor and filmmaker Richard Lui spent years caring for his dad as he lived with Alzheimer’s and now helps care for his mom, who has dementia. He created a film to share caregiver stories and to highlight the impact caregiving can have on mental health. “’Unconditional’ was something that started to show the idea of mental health and caregiving and to try to show the shades of gray we go through as caregivers and the mental health challenges we have,” Lui said. In addition to his movie, Lui also published a book, “Enough About Me,” focusing on the unexpected power of selflessness and his caregiving experience. Lui was in Seattle Tuesday to share his story and discuss how caregiving impacts mental health, among other topics, at a free AARP Caring for the Caregiver event. KING 5’s Jim Dever emceed the event, which also featured geriatric psychiatrist Dr. Kate Zhong. “It’s just like with physical health, why aren’t we talking about mental health similarly,” Lui asked. “I gained 10 pounds during COVID. I also got five pounds on my brain.” While caregiving is an imperfect experience, Lui says he learned to laugh and cry differently during the process. “Just the way we celebrate and gather for when we arrive, we should do the same as we leave. I learned that caring for my father, I was laughing in ways I had never laughed before. I was so glad I was there along the way.” You can find mental health resources for caregivers on the AARP website. “Unconditional” is currently available on Peacock and Amazon Prime. Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.