Resource Center

Respite care provides essential temporary relief for family caregivers, offering short-term breaks that help prevent burnout while ensuring your aging loved one continues to receive quality care. These services can range from a few hours of in-home assistance to overnight stays or even short-term residential care lasting several weeks. Respite options include in-home care provided by home health aides or companion services, adult day centers that offer supervised activities and socialization during daytime hours, and residential facilities that provide overnight accommodations. Regular respite breaks allow caregivers to attend to personal needs, manage other responsibilities, or simply rest and recharge—ultimately improving the quality and sustainability of care they can provide. Finding appropriate respite services begins with contacting your local Area Agency on Aging (eldercare.acl.gov or 800-677-1116), which can connect you with respite programs in your community, including those that may offer financial assistance. The ARCH National Respite Network (archrespite.org) maintains a national respite locator service to help families find nearby options. For veterans, the VA Caregiver Support Program (caregiver.va.gov or 855-260-3274) offers respite benefits for qualified veterans. Many long-term care insurance policies also cover respite services, so check your loved one's policy for potential benefits. Faith-based organizations, community centers, and local caregiver support groups often maintain lists of trusted respite providers or may offer volunteer respite programs. By incorporating regular respite into your KareTeam plan, you create a more sustainable caregiving approach that benefits both your aging loved one and those providing their daily care.

When you step into the role of caring for an aging loved one, you might feel a bit like you’re being asked to travel to a destination without any directions! That's where caregiver training programs come in—they're like your personal navigation system for this important journey. These programs cover essential skills from safely helping someone transfer from bed to chair, to managing medications, to understanding the emotional aspects of caregiving. Many hospitals, senior centers, and Area Agencies on Aging offer free or low-cost workshops specifically designed for family members like you who want to provide the best care possible while protecting your own well-being. Some programs even offer in-home training sessions where instructors can help you adapt techniques to your loved one's specific living environment. What’s more, some of the skills are very unique and specific to special situations you may be facing with your loved one. Dementia, for example, presents many challenges and opportunities where your natural response or assumptions may be quite counterproductive. For instance, many fall into the trap of essentially “testing” the memory of a person with dementia, saying things like, “Do you remember the names of my kids?” Instead of saying something like, “Mom, let me fill you in on my kids, Julie, Jarred and Robert …” What’s more, there isn’t just one type of dementia, and there are things to know about Lewy body dementia that are different than Alzheimer’s disease. Besides local programs, there are a range of great online programs. For instance, the Alzheimer's Association offers excellent "Savvy Caregiver" programs in many communities. The Family Caregiver Alliance offers a wide range of videos and online resources. And AARP also has an extensive library of online resources. The beauty of caregiver training isn't just in learning practical skills—it's also about connecting with others walking the same path. Many programs include support group components where you can share challenges, celebrate victories, and exchange tips with fellow caregivers who truly understand what you're experiencing. Through KareTeam, you can keep track of which family members have completed specific training and share what you've learned with others in your care circle. Remember, seeking training isn't a sign that you're unprepared—it's a reflection of your commitment to providing thoughtful, effective care. Even healthcare professionals receive ongoing training throughout their careers, and as a family caregiver, you deserve the same opportunity to build your confidence and capabilities while reducing the physical and emotional stress that often accompanies caregiving.

Support groups offer a lifeline for family caregivers by creating safe spaces where you can connect with others walking similar paths. These gatherings—whether in-person at local senior centers, hospitals, and churches, or online through virtual platforms—bring together people who truly understand the daily challenges, emotional complexities, and unexpected joys of caring for an aging loved one. In these supportive environments, you can share experiences without judgment, exchange practical solutions for common problems, and receive validation that your feelings—even difficult ones like frustration or grief—are normal and shared by others. Many caregivers describe finding their support group as the first time they felt truly understood since beginning their caregiving journey. These groups come in various formats to meet different needs. Some focus on specific conditions like dementia, Parkinson's disease, or stroke recovery, offering specialized knowledge and strategies for particular caregiving challenges. Others are more general, welcoming anyone caring for an older adult regardless of diagnosis. Some groups are professionally facilitated by social workers or counselors who provide structured education alongside emotional support, while others are peer-led, emphasizing shared wisdom and lived experience. Many support groups now offer hybrid options, allowing you to participate in-person when possible or virtually when transportation or respite care isn't available. Beyond emotional support, these groups serve as valuable information hubs where you can learn about local resources, navigate complex healthcare systems, and develop practical caregiving skills. Fellow members often share insider knowledge about which local services are most responsive, which doctors best understand geriatric needs, or which insurance benefits are available but rarely publicized. The connections formed in support groups frequently extend beyond scheduled meetings, creating informal networks where caregivers check on each other, share resources, and sometimes even arrange respite coverage for one another.

Counseling services provide essential emotional and psychological support for family caregivers facing the complex challenges of caring for aging loved ones. Professional counselors offer a confidential space where you can express difficult feelings—frustration, grief, guilt, or anxiety—that might be hard to share with friends or family members who haven't experienced caregiving firsthand. Unlike support groups, individual counseling allows for personalized attention to your specific situation, helping you develop coping strategies tailored to your unique caregiving challenges and personal needs. Many counseling services now offer specialized approaches for caregivers of loved ones with specific conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, stroke, heart failure, or mental health conditions, recognizing that each caregiving journey presents distinct emotional and practical challenges. Caregiver family therapy represents another valuable counseling approach that engages the entire family in active, focused problem-solving related to caregiving responsibilities. This therapeutic model recognizes that caregiving affects the entire family system and works to improve both the quality of care for your loved one and the well-being of everyone involved . Family counseling can help address communication breakdowns, resolve conflicts about care decisions, redistribute caregiving responsibilities more equitably, and process changing family roles and relationships. For caregivers supporting loved ones through specific health challenges like cancer, specialized counseling services may be available through treatment centers, with trained therapists experienced in the unique stresses of providing care during serious illness . The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) represents an important resource for accessing counseling services, providing grants to states and territories to fund various supports for family caregivers, including counseling options. Through this program, caregivers can connect with local resources offering individual counseling, family therapy, and support groups designed specifically for those caring for older adults. Many state health and human services departments also provide benefits and counseling specifically for caregivers . Through KareTeam, we can help you navigate these options to find counseling services that fit your schedule, preferences, and specific caregiving situation—whether you're looking for individual therapy, family counseling, or specialized support for caregivers managing particular health conditions.