Are you a Caregiver?
Caregiver News
For more information on policy updates, research and caregiving in the news visit the Massachusetts Family Caregiver Support Program newsletter.
Caregiving: You’re Not Alone
"There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers." – Rosalynn Carter
How Can the Family Caregiver Support Program Help?
Family Caregiver Specialists can, at no cost to you, facilitate…
Access
- Refer you to services and resources in your community
Counseling and training
- Advise you one-on-one
- Help you plan for care wherever your loved one lives
- Organize caregiver support groups
- Run workshops and training
- Provide educational materials
Respite care
- Relieve you temporarily from your caregiving responsibilities so you can get the rest and respite you need
Hiring In-Home Help and Support
Family caregivers cannot do everything all the time and may want to consider hiring someone to help. Finding the right person to help your family member can be complicated and the safety of your family member should be the top priority.
- AARP's How to Hire a Caregiver defines the different types of in-home caregivers and offers steps to take when hiring a caregiver.
- The Family Caregiver Alliance's Hiring In-Home Help includes key questions to ask when hiring a caregiver.
- Medicare's Home Health Compare helps you to compare home health agencies.
- Massachusetts' Personal Care Attendance Program includes a list of Personal Care Management (PCM) Agencies which can help you find a PCA.
Technology for Caregivers
Technology has changed a lot over the years and is becoming useful in ways we never could have imagined. Today, there are many tools that can help family caregivers and their families. These include websites, apps, sensors, devices and digital health platforms. Technology helps caregivers find what they need, stay organized, and connect with others. It also helps older adults and those living with disabilities stay independent.
- MassMatch connects people to Assistive Technology for help with communication and mobility.
- The Massachusetts eHealth Institute is the designated state agency for health technology.
- Massachusetts Broadband Institute aims to make affordable high-speed Internet available to all homes, businesses, schools, libraries, medical facilities, government offices, and other public places across the Commonwealth.
Caring for Someone Living with Dementia
The number of individuals living with Alzheimer's Disease in Massachusetts is expected to increase from 120,000 people in 2016 to 150,000 people in 2025. Caring for someone living with Alzheimer's or a dementia-related disorder has unique opportunities and challenges. There are a variety of services and programs in Massachusetts that may be able to help.
- Dementia Friendly Massachusetts is a grassroots movement to make communities safe, inclusive and respectful for persons with Alzheimer’s disease, or a related dementia
- Memory cafés offer social connection, support, activity, and information for individuals living with Alzheimer’s or a related disorder and their family members, friends, and professional caregivers.
- Alzheimer's Association