You're Not Alone: Essential Services for Caregivers

As a caregiver, you are never alone. There is a vast network of support available to help you navigate the challenges of caregiving. From family and friends to healthcare professionals and community services, numerous resources are designed to assist you in providing the best care possible.  

This list outlines various services that can offer practical help and emotional support, ensuring that both you and the person you care for receive necessary and timely assistance. Sometimes it helps to even know what to look or ask for.  

• Adult day care provides daytime care and social activities for older adults. Programs will vary as to amount and type of care available. Some provide transportation. 
• Home care offers services that take place in the home. These can be services like health care provided by nurses and nurse aides; help with baths, dressing, and eating; housekeeping; and social visits. 
• Hospice care provides support and care for terminally ill persons who choose to remain at home in the care of a relative or friend. 
• Legal and financial services include help with preparing a durable power of attorney or other type of health care appointment, a living will, or assistance with financial planning, public benefits, taxes, Social Security, and disability benefits. These services can be provided by skilled volunteers or paid professionals. 
• Long-term care is available through nursing homes and sub-acute care facilities for temporary or permanent care, especially during periods of acute illness. 
• Meal programs offer a full range of services, including Meals On Wheels-type programs that deliver meals to older adults at home, as well as group meals served at senior centers, churches, synagogues, or schools. 
• Reassurance programs provide regular phone calls to check in on elderly persons who live alone, or electronic monitoring devices that signal when help is needed. 
• Rehabilitation programs provide occupational, physical, and speech therapies through hospitals and long-term care and day-care facilities. 
• Respite care programs allow both caregivers and the people for whom they're caring the opportunity to relax, recharge, and reconnect. Our respite services are offered nationwide and designed to give caregivers a much-needed break from their caregiving duties. 
• Support groups provide emotional support, information sharing, and companionship for caregivers. Some groups are condition-specific, such as Alzheimer’s support groups. 
• Transportation programs provide rides to and from medical appointments, day care, and other destinations.