Caregiver Support

As a caregiver for a parent or spouse, or for a child with special needs, you may feel overwhelmed and at times invisible. And you may develop caregiver fatigue. Use these resources and suggestions to help you find emotional and task support to ease your stress as a caregiver. 

Federal Government Caregiver Resources

• Alzheimer’s Caregiving - Learn from the National Institute on Aging how to respond to the challenges of being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease or other forms of dementia.
• Caregiver Resources - Get a basic overview from NIH’s MedlinePlus of caregiver services and a list of resources to help you protect your own health.
• Caring for the Caregiver - This resource from the National Cancer Institute is for family and friends who are caring for a person with cancer. 
• Managing Someone Else’s Money Guide - Get tips from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on how to manage your family member’s finances and property when they can’t handle their bills themselves.
• Veterans Caregiver Support - Find information about the Caregiver Support Program that offers training, educational resources, a support hotline, and more from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Office of Women’s Health Caregiver Page - Get tips on how to prevent or relieve caregiver stress, and how to find and pay for home health care services.

State and Local Caregiver Support Resources

• Finding Local Services - Use this list from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to find state and local government and non-government resources including comparisons of home health agencies and the Eldercare Locator to help caregivers connect with senior services. 

Additional Support for Caregivers

If you're not able to leave your loved one at home but need emotional support, an online support group might be a good option. Be careful not to give out detailed personal, medical, or financial information to anyone online to protect against fraud or scams. 

A caregiver helps a person with special medical needs in daily activities. Tasks include shopping for food and cooking, cleaning the house, and giving medicine. There are many programs for family members of veterans and people with disabilities to get paid to be their caregivers:

• Medicaid Self-Directed Care - This program allows qualified individuals to manage their own care and hire family members as caregivers in some states. 
• Veteran-Directed Home and Community Based Care - Veterans in this program are given a flexible budget to choose the goods and services they find most useful. This includes hiring a family member who is mentally and physically capable as a caregiver. 
• Aid and Attendance Benefits for Veterans - This program adds to the VA pension to help cover the costs of a caregiver, who may be a family member. Contact the Pension Management Center in your state for rules and conditions.
• Long-Term Care Insurance - Some long-term care insurance policies allow family members to be paid as caregivers. Certain policies exclude spouses or family members living in the home. Contact your family member’s insurance agent for more information and ask for a written confirmation of benefits.
• VA Caregiver Support Line - This program helps people who care for veterans, including family members, access services and benefits.