National Family Caregiver Program

The National Family Caregiver Program provides educational opportunities as well as support groups for caregivers in addition to our respite and supplemental assistance services.  Please check back frequently, or like the PADD office on Facebook to receive updates about upcoming trainings and support group meetings. 

Family caregivers are the bedrock of America’s long-term care system and come from all walks of life. Every day they assist relatives and loved ones with tasks ranging from simple supports such as helping with household chores such as cooking and cleaning, to complex care such as bathing, dressing, and moving around the home, and lifesaving measures such as administering medications and monitoring side-effects.

Family caregivers may be adult children caring for their parents, grandparents raising their grandchildren, or families looking after children and adults with physical disabilities. Caregivers are devoted spouses, parents, and children as well as nurses, home health aides, paralegals, and financial advisors for their loved ones. National research has shown that caregivers are everywhere and their numbers are growing.  For example:

• 66% of older persons with chronic disabilities are cared for by a family member.
• 65 million people provide care for a clinically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend each year.
• 471,000 grandparents over 65 years old have primary responsibility for their grandchildren.

Although most caregivers view their work as rewarding, many experience significant stress and it impacts their health negatively. To help alleviate the toll of caregiving, family caregivers need supports and services that safeguard their health and emotional well-being while relieving some of the financial burdens that often accompany caregiving duties.
 
The Area Agency on Aging & Independent Living (AAAIL) and the Aging Network provide a comprehensive array of programs and support to family caregivers. Since 2001, the NFCSP and other caregiver support programs have assisted hundreds of thousands of caregivers and their family members.

The National Family Caregiver Support Program supports individuals caring for seniors and also seniors caring for grandchildren.  Caregivers are less likely to feel overburdened and thus be able to care for their loved one for a longer period of time if they believe they have information and support services to help them.

Caregivers may be spouses, family, friends or neighbors who provide some help to an elderly person who wants to stay at home.  The Family Caregiver Support Program can help by connecting them to existing resources or can give them financial help (within limits).  Typical services paid for by FCSP include Respite (sitter), Homemaking, Personal Care, some minor Home Modifications, and some medical equipment.  There are no income qualifications but there are age (60+) and disability qualifications.  

The National FCSP includes a program to help grandparents or other relatives raising grandchildren / related children.  There is an age minimum of 55 for the grandparents and an age maximum of 18 on the grandchildren.  In the case of grandchildren, there is an age exception allowed if the grandchild is disabled.

Information is available at the Administration for Community Living website.

Miranda White is the Family Caregiver Coordinator at the Pennyrile Area Development District.