This statewide program recognizes the critical role family caregivers play in providing long-term care and helping elders maintain their quality of life. This program strives to develop new models of caregiver support while building on the elder network’s current efforts to support family caregivers.

Eligible Population:

• Family and adult primary caregivers of older adults 55 years of age or older, or, for certain services, of individuals of any age who have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’ s disease; and
• Grandparents and relative caregivers 60 years of age or older of children not more than 18 years of age (including grandparents who are sole caregivers of grandchildren and those individuals who are affected by mental retardation or who have developmental disabilities).

Caregiver Specialist

The Caregiver Specialist is available to provide information about the Massachusetts Family Caregiver Support Program and other elder care resources.

The Caregiver Specialist helps raise awareness about caregiver needs through outreach, focus groups, and informational forums. Outreach may occur in local businesses, senior centers, faith communities, and community based agencies.

The Caregiver Specialist can provide one on one assistance to caregivers seeking information on resources related to meeting their needs. This may be through support group listings, ways to recognize stress and how to take care of the caregiver.

Information is also available for grandparents raising grandchildren, including support group meeting schedules.

Elder Care Advisor

The Elder Care Advisor offers an enhanced, in-home Information and Referral service. Elders who do not qualify for State Home Care services can access the Elder Care Advisor at no cost. The Elder Care Advisor will conduct a home visit to assist with planning by conducting a needs assessment and provides elders and their families with recommendations and resources to meet individual needs. The Elder Care Advisor will also provide short-term follow-up and referral for more intensive care services if necessary such as Private Care Managers. Please contact us for more information.

The Caregiver’s Guide and Other Program Material

The Caregiver’s Guide explains the avenues of support to be used for the benefit of family members as care providers. Education and support are intended to enable readers to better maintain their own emotional and physical well being while meeting the needs of an elder. Programs are better explained to help caregiver and elder alike understand the often-complex array of services.

The Caregivers’ Guide contains new “tear-out" sections that will assist caregivers in looking at living costs, managing medication, and assisting in keeping important documents in order.

The Caregiver's Organizer helps caregivers and elders to put important information in one place. This organizer is available at no charge and can be found in English and 9 other languages (Spanish, Vietnamese, Albanian, Russina, Cambodian, French, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese and Polish.)

The Long Distance Caregiver Booklet can help anyone caring for a loved one from a distance in assessing their needs and identifying the local resources in the elder's community. This is also available at no charge.

Please call us at 508-756-1545 or click here to connect to our Inquiry Form, and request a copy of the Caregiver’s Guide, Caregiver's Organizer, or the Long Distance Caregiver's Booklet.