Caregiver Program

National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)
This program provides assistance to informal caregivers (spouses, adult children, other family members, friends and neighbors) in their efforts to care for an older person with chronic illnesses or disabilities, who need help with everyday tasks. This may include certain aspect of personal care, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming, as well as light housekeeping, errands, grocery shopping, providing meals, medication management, transportation, monitoring, supervision, and companionship.

The goals of the Caregiver Support Program are to meet the needs of caregivers and enhance the support given to care receivers; help caregivers become better advocates and more confident in assisting care receivers with their needs; deter placement in long-term care facilities while promoting continued care at home or in alternative community settings for seniors as long as possible; and provide support to older relatives who are caregivers for children or individuals with disabilities, if desired. When family caregivers are well supported, those they care for can remain in their homes longer and enjoy a better quality of life.

Available services include:

• Case Management (Assistance): Case management is designed to assess the needs of the caregiver and to arrange, coordinate, and monitor a package of services to meet those needs. Case management includes a comprehensive assessment of the caregiver (including the physical, psychological, and social needs of the caregiver), as well as development and implementation of a support plan. The support plan is designed to help the caregiver mobilize the formal and informal resources and services identified in the assessment. More info.
• Information and Assistance: Provides caregivers with up-to-date information on available community opportunities and services, assist them in defining problems and identifying needs and capacities, and offers guidance on addressing those issues. Additionally, caregivers are connected to relevant services and opportunities to meet their needs. Referrals are made to programs, services, and resources that can provide further assistance.
• Caregiver Counseling: A service designed to emotionally support caregivers, as well as assist them in their decision-making, problem solving and coping strategies.
• Training: A service that provides caregivers with instruction to improve knowledge and performance of specific skills relating to their caregiving roles and responsibilities. Skills may include activities related to health, nutrition, and financial management; providing personal care; and communicating with health care providers and other family members.  Training may include use of evidence-based programs, either in-person or on-line. This may occur in an individual or group setting.
• Respite Services: Respite temporarily relieves caregivers from their responsibilities by providing a short-term break.  One respite option is to have an aide come into the home a few hours per week to provide monitoring, supervision and companionship to the care receiver.  This could also include aspects of care, such as assistance with bathing, dressing, and grooming, as well as light housekeeping, meal preparation, grocery shopping, errands, and transportation. 
• Supplemental Services: Goods and services provided on a limited basis to complement the care provided by caregivers. Examples include, but are not limited to, assistive technology, adaptive equipment, personal supplies (e.g., incontinence products), Home Delivered Meals or a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), which allows access to emergency help with the touch of a button.
• Information, assistance and referral services are also available to grandparents and older relatives who are caregiving for children or individuals with disabilities due to a variety of circumstances. These caregivers often face unique issues such as financial hardships, isolation from their peers, the need for legal advice, and other types of services to create a safe and healthy home environment.
• Caregiver support groups for caregivers who:
  • Provide informal, unpaid care for a friend, family member, or loved one living in Schuyler County,
  • Are age 60 or older,
  • Care for someone of any age with an Alzheimer’s disease or related disorder.

A support group is being held on a monthly basis in the Silver Spoon Café, 323 Owego Street, Montour Falls. Shannon Slater, Aging Services Case Worker is facilitating this group with the goal of allowing caregivers to discuss their common experiences and concerns and develop a mutual support system. These meetings may also include dedicated time for training and education on topics relevant to caregiving, such as self-care techniques, effective communication strategies and financial literacy, among others.

Meeting Schedule

All services are subject to budget limitation and availability.