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Federal Resources for Caregivers
Below is a selection of federal resources for caregivers.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Administration for Community Living (ACL)
- Eldercare Locator | www.eldercare.gov
The ACL Eldercare Locator is a website and call center that links you to state and local agencies on aging and community-based organizations that serve older adults and their caregivers. - National Family Caregiver Support Program | www.acl.gov/NewsRoom/Publications/docs/ National_Family_Caregiver_Support_Program2014.pdf
- Alzheimer’s Disease Supportive Services Program | www.acl.gov/NewsRoom/Publications/docs/ Alzheimers_Disease_Supportive_Services_Program_1.pdf
- Lifespan Respite Program | www.acl.gov/NewsRoom/Publications/docs/Lifespan_Respite_Care_Program2014.pdf
- Alzheimers.gov | alzheimers.gov
This site is the government’s resource for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Caregiving | www.medicare.gov/campaigns/caregiver/caregiver.html
This website offers resources, stories, and newsletters about caring for someone with Medicare. - Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) | www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-Topics/Long-Term-Services-and-Supports/Home-and-Community-Based-Services/Home-and-Community-Based-Services.html
A range of HCBS are available optionally to states through a variety of statutory authorities including new Affordable Care Act programs, HCBS waivers, other waivers, and State Plan Amendments. These include many services that help beneficiaries and caregivers. - Testing Experience and Functional Tools (TEFT) |
wiki.siframework.org/electronic+Long-Term+Services+and+Supports+(eLTSS)
The electronic Long-Term Services & Supports (eLTSS) Initiative is partnership between the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and CMS that will focus on identifying electronic standards that can enable the creation, exchange, and use of interoperable service plans for use by health care and community-based long-term services and supports providers, payers, and the individuals they serve. - Core Competencies for Direct Support Workers | www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/by-topics/long-term-services-and-supports/workforce/downloads/dsw-core-competencies-final-set-2014.pdf
In 2014, CMS published a set of Core Competencies for direct support workers to inform and improve training efforts on multiple levels, including state- and agency-levels and across health care systems. - Hospice | www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/02154.pdf
Benefits in hospice directed at caregivers in both Medicare and Medicaid include the respite benefit and bereavement services. The respite benefit provides five days of inpatient hospice care and rest for the caregiver.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- CDC’s Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map | www.cdc.gov/aging/healthybrain
The CDC’s Healthy Aging Program and the Alzheimer’s Association developed this road map to advance cognitive health as a vital, integral component of public health. It outlines how state and local public health agencies and their partners can promote cognitive functioning, address cognitive impairment for individuals living in the community, and help meet the needs of caregivers. - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Caregiving Optional Module | www.cdc.gov/brfss/
Starting in 2015, states have the option of adding an 8-item Caregiving module to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys. Using this module allows states to determine the percent of people who self-report being a caregiver, ascertain the relationship between caregiver and recipient, calculate the average hours of caregiving per week, document the types of assistance needed, identify the major health problems, illnesses, or disabilities of the care recipient, measure the duration of caregiving, and detail the type of assistance most needed by the caregiver. - Adult Caregivers in the United States: Characteristics and Differences in Well-being, by Caregiver Age and Caregiving Status | www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2013/13_0090.htm
The article is an examination of the characteristics of adults who are providing regular care or assistance to friends or family members who have health problems, long-term illnesses, or disabilities. - STEADI | www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/Falls/steadi/patients.html
The STEADI Initiative to prevent falls includes educational materials designed specifically for health care providers, older adults, and their caregivers. Materials include information on how to check for fall risk and how to prevent falls.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Treatment of Depression in Older Adults Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) KIT | store.samhsa.gov/product/Treatment-of-Depression-in-Older-Adults-Evidence-Based-Practices-EBP-KIT/SMA11-4631CD-DVD
This KIT includes a guide to help older adults and caregivers recognize depression, access treatment, make informed choices, and remain involved in care decisions.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Caregivers and Exercise—Take Time for Yourself |
go4life.nia.nih.gov/tip-sheets/caregivers-and-exercise-take-time-yourself - Next Steps for Research on Informal Caregiving | www.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/gerald-summary_11-21-14_0.pdf
This includes brief papers about key knowledge gaps and research priorities in informal caregiving. - The Science of Caregiving | nihrecord.nih.gov/newsletters/2014/06_06_2014/story8.htm
- Caring for a Person with Alzheimer’s disease: Your Easy-to-Use Guide from the National Institute on Aging | www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/caring-person-alzheimers-disease/about-guide
- About Alzheimer’s disease: Caregiving | www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/topics/caregiving
Find caregiving tip sheets and resource lists on behavioral issues, safety, communication, planning in web and eBook formats.
HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH)
- Caregiving | www.womenshealth.gov/aging/caregiving/
- Caregiver Stress Fact Sheet |
www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/caregiver-stress.html
HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
- Get Support If You Are A Caregiver | healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/mental-health-and-relationship/get-support-if-you-are-a-caregiver
- Support a Loved One at the Doctor: Quick Tips | healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Population/older-adults/mental-health-and-relationships/support-a-loved-one-at-the-doctor-quick-tips
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Rental Assistance | portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/rental_assistance
Locate rental housing supported by HUD’s programs; learn more about renting and HUD rental assistance programs, as well as your rights and fair housing information. - Information for Senior Citizens | portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/information_for_senior_citizens
For information on HUD programs specific to senior citizens.
U.S. Department of Labor
- Information on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) | www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/
Among other things, the FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. - Home Care Final Rule, providing minimum wage and overtime pay for direct care workers | For information about wages and pay, visit www.dol.gov/whd/homecare. Information such as a “self-assessment” to determine whether a worker is entitled to federal minimum wage and overtime pay is available at www.dol.gov/whd/homecare/workers.htm. Information specific to individuals and families is available at www.dol.gov/whd/homecare/individuals.htm.
- Older Women Workers and Economic Security | www.dol.gov/wb/factsheets/OlderWomen_IssueBrief-F-508.pdf
The issue brief answers these questions: How and why does the gender wage gap vary by age? How do earnings for older women differ by race and ethnicity? What can be done to tackle the gender wage gap and improve women’s lifetime earnings?
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- Pay and Leave | www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/#url=Fact-Sheets
The Federal government offers a variety of leave programs to assist an employee that finds he/she needs to absent from work to care of an elderly parent. - Handbook on Alternative Work Schedules | www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/reference-materials/handbooks/alternative-work-schedules/
The Federal Government has two main categories of alternative work schedules (AWS) – flexible work schedules and compressed work schedules. - Telework | www.telework.gov
- Employee Assistance Programs |
www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/worklife/employee-assistance-programs/
All Federal agencies provide Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees. - Federal Long Term Care Insurance | www.ltcfeds.com
Social Security Administration (SSA)
- Disability Planner: Family Benefits | www.ssa.gov/planners/disability/dfamily.html
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- Department of Veterans Affairs’ Caregiver Support Line | Tol-free 1-855-260-3274
The support line can discuss assistance available from the VA, help access services, answer questions about eligible services, or connect caregivers with the Caregiver Support Coordinator at the closest VA Medical Center. - Department of Veterans Affairs’ Caregiver Support | www.caregiver.va.gov
This website provides resources for caregivers and Veterans, including resources available to caregivers, and videos and stories of caregivers of Veterans. The website also has a zip code look up feature, allowing caregivers and Veterans to find the name and contact information of the closest Caregiver Support Coordinator. - Veterans Health Library | www.veteranshealthlibrary.org
This website provides information on common health issues faced by Veterans, including information related to caring for a Veteran with a specific illness, injury, or condition. - Department of Veterans Affairs’ Guide to Long Term Services and Supports | www.va.gov/GERIATRICS/Guide/LongTermCare/index.asp
This website provides an overview of VA long-term services and supports.
This website was last updated on February 3, 2016. It is no longer being maintained; however, it remains here as an archive for information on the 2015 White House Conference on Aging forums, blogs, press releases and activities over the period from October 2014–December 2015.
Some material on this website may be superseded, as it was created at a particular time. It may contain references to activities, policies and programs that have no current application. Content in the archive may link to web pages that have moved or no longer exist, or may refer to other documents that are no longer available.
For further information on the use of these archived documents please contact the Administration on Aging/Administration for Community Living at aclinfo@acl.hhs.gov. To stay up to date on issues important to older Americans, please visit Aging.gov or the Administration on Aging.