Caregiver Supports Offered by AAAs

They say not all heroes wear capes. That’s especially true for caregivers. They do it all. They help ensure that the needs of their loved ones are met, while balancing their own lives and needs. But caregivers need support, too.
 
When you’re caring for a loved one, you want to make sure they are getting the best care possible. But that can be hard when you aren’t sure where to turn for support—and figuring out the type of support you need can be tough if you don’t know what’s available.
 
Fortunately, the nation’s 63 million family caregivers have a trusted community resource to turn to for support. Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) exist in nearly every community in the country and can connect caregivers to a wide array of resources that will help them and their loved ones thrive. The best part? These resources are located right in your community!
 
Although providing care for a loved one or friend is a rewarding experience, helping them with daily activities like bathing, getting dressed, cooking, managing medications, arranging medical appointments and so much more can be challenging. And if you’re juggling caregiving responsibilities along with a job or other responsibilities, such as caring for aging parents while caring for your own young children, you need an easy source of information and support. That’s where your local AAA comes in.

Learn more about AAAs and share information with others using our fact sheet.
 
Your Local AAA: A Connection to Support for Caregivers
There’s more than one type of caregiver. In fact, caregivers come in all shapes and sizes. A caregiver might be a middle-aged parent caring for both older parents and their own young children, an older adult providing care and support for a spouse or sibling, an older adult tending to the needs of an adult child with a disability, a grandparent raising a grandchild, or a sibling caring for another sibling.
 
No matter the type of caregiver you may be, your local AAA is your partner and can provide you with resources to support you on your caregiving journey. Here is just a sample of the services that AAAs provide to caregivers:

• Information and referral services. Your AAA can help you get connected to local programs that support family caregivers.
• Respite services. Need a break? Most AAAs offer respite services to provide caregivers with a break when needed.
• Caregiver assessment. Wondering what services are available for you and your loved one? Your local AAA can help you find out.
• Training. AAAs can help set caregivers up for success with a range of training that will help them meet the needs of their loved ones.
• Support groups and counseling. Many AAAs offer caregivers the opportunity to connect with other caregivers to seek advice and emotional support.
• In-home support services. AAAs can connect caregivers to an array of in-home services such as meal preparation, light housework, home repairs and more intense personal care.
• Transportation. Caregivers can contact their local AAA to arrange rides to medical appointments for their loved ones.
• Health and wellness programs. AAAs offer a wide range of activities that can help caregivers and their loved ones stay healthy and strong.

• Caring Across the Miles: Resources for Long-Distance Caregivers: This brochure provides long-distance caregivers with tools and resources that may help them better support their loved ones from afar. 
• Connecting Older Adults and Their Caregivers to Local Resources: This brochure provides general information about the Eldercare Locator and community-based services for older adults and caregivers.

• Dementia, Caregiving and Transportation: This publication provides transportation tips for caregivers, information on types of transportation available, dementia-friendly tips for transit drivers, items to include in a travel kit, destination cards that can be tailored for each traveler and a list of resources.
• Living Well With Dementia in the Community: Resources and Supports: This brochure provides information about the many community services and supports available for both older adults with dementia and their caregivers.

• Older Adults and Elder Abuse: This publication provides information on the various types of elder abuse and ways to combat this growing issue.

• Protect Your Pocketbook: Tips to Avoid Financial Exploitation: This brochure provides information and resources on avoiding financial exploitation and offers tips on how to stay safe. 

• Preventing Falls at Home: This brochure describes safety checks older adults can do in and around the house to reduce their risk of falling and help enhance their independent living. 
• Housing Options for Older Adults: A Guide for Making Housing Decisions: This brochure provides an overview of the types of housing available to older adults that highlights some personal and legal issues to consider. English, Spanish
• Home Repair and Modification Resources: This two-sided flyer gives older adults and caregivers information on home modifications and repairs, such as examples of home modifications and how to find local help to modify their homes. 

• Older Adults and Medication Safety: This brochure provides tips to help older adults ensure they are taking their medicines safely.

• Federal Nutrition Programs for Grandfamilies & Kinship Families: This resource provides information on programs that can help families with low incomes access meals, food and resources to buy food.

• Before You Give Up the Keys: Create a Roadmap for Transportation Independence: This brochure helps older adults evaluate their mobility needs, identify the transportation options in their community and develop a transportation plan customized to their unique circumstances.
• Dementia, Caregiving and Transportation: This publication provides transportation tips for caregivers, information on types of transportation available, dementia-friendly tips for transit drivers, items to include in a travel kit, destination cards that can be tailored for each traveler and a list of resources.
• Transportation Options for Mobility Independence: This brochure is designed to help older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, families and friends learn about transportation resources available in their communities and help guide their selection of services that best meet their needs.
• Caregiving and Transportation: This webpage provides information and resources to help close the gap between transportation and family caregiver support. Explore the webinars, publications, podcast, tools and reports on this webpage.

• Alzheimer’s Association and Dementia Caregiver Center provides helpful information and resources for those living with or caring for someone with Alzheimer's or other dementias.
• ARCH National Respite Network assists and promotes the development of quality respite and crisis care programs, helps families locate respite and crisis care services, and serves as a strong voice for respite in all forums.
• Caregiver Action Network is the nation’s leading family caregiver organization and works to improve the quality of life for tens of millions of family caregivers.
• Dementia Friendly America is a national network of communities, organizations and individuals seeking to ensure that communities across the United States are equipped to support people living with dementia and their care partners.
• Family Caregiver Alliance provides assessment, care planning, direct-care skills, wellness programs, respite services and legal/financial consultation vouchers to family caregivers of adults with physical and cognitive impairments, such as Parkinson’s, stroke, Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.
• National Alliance for Caregiving  is dedicated to improving quality of life for friend and family caregivers and those in their care, focusing on research, policy analysis, programs, technical assistance and advocacy for caregiver families.
• Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program connects caregivers in the United States to essential services, raises awareness about their vital roles and advocates for policies that offer better support.

• Caregiver Navigation Services. USAging, in partnership with ADvancing States, the National Resource Center on Native American Aging, Family Caregiver Alliance and Scripps Gerontology Center, is leading a national effort to strengthen caregiver navigator services within Older Americans Act (OAA)-funded Title III-E and VI-C programs through ACL’s National Caregiver Support Collaborative. This initiative aims to improve the Aging Network’s ability to help caregivers access the resources they need to support their loved ones while maintaining their own well-being.
• Caregiver Services and Supports. With funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, USAging and its partners are working to expand and enhance the capacity of the Aging Network to strengthen and spur innovation in the development and implementation of person and family-centered services and supports that meet the needs of the nation’s caregivers.
• Center for Dementia Respite Innovation. The Center for Dementia Respite Innovation (CDRI) funds new respite care innovation projects across the country. The CDRI will award up to $20 million total over five years to local respite care providers to develop and improve the quality of available services. USAging is a partner on the CDRI with the Alzheimer’s Association. The CDRI is funded through a grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living.
• Eldercare Locator. The Eldercare Locator is the only national information and referral resource to provide support to consumers across the spectrum of issues affecting older Americans. The Locator was established and is funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging, part of the Administration for Community Living, and is administered by USAging.
• Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center. The Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center, with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, is working to increase the capacity and effectiveness of states, territories, tribes/tribal organizations, nonprofits and other community-based organizations to serve and support kinship families and grandfamilies.
• Public Health’s Roles in Supporting Informal and Family Caregivers. This policy brief highlights the role of caregivers, and finds that many people who provide unpaid, informal caregiving are experiencing increasing levels of economic, emotional and physical hardships as a result.