November is National Family Caregivers Appreciation and Alzheimer's Awareness Month

We once again wish to take time this November to discuss and provide resources for at home family caregivers.   Family caregivers provide direct, often daily support to loved ones facing complications from aging, chronic degenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, terminal illnesses like cancer, and others with chronic disabilities. They are responsible for completing a range of physically demanding tasks like assisting with lifting their loved ones out of bed, helping them move safely around the home and outside, or cleaning them in the shower because they are unable to clean themselves.  They also take responsibility for learning and organizing their loved one’s medication and scheduled food intake, taking them to essential appointments, and making core financial and medical decisions on their behalf. In many cases, they are the principal, sometimes sole, source of social and emotional support as well.  

Family caregivers ensure that their loved ones can maintain a higher quality of life, often at the cost of their own physical health, mental health and social well-being.  With cuts passed in July of this year to Medicaid based health care services that target individuals with disabilities, and as of November an ongoing shutdown and layoffs disrupting long standing federal benefits and programs that caregivers rely on, we wanted to highlight existing state and community resources that may still assist caregivers in tangible ways. We at the Employee Assistance Program encourage caregivers or other family members seeking resources and information to explore the links below:

• The Massachusetts Family Caregiver Support Program provides a range of services for caregivers, including counseling, training, and respite care.  Click the link to find out more.
• The State of Massachusetts also runs the PACE program for eligible participants, providing resources and assistance to help keep people in good health in their homes and out of nursing homes. 
• MassOptions is an online resource and referral service that connects caregivers with local services and supports. The link includes a resource list for medical care, transportation support, and more.
• The Family Caregiver’s Alliance is a large family caregiver network. This page links to advocacy groups and resources for Massachusetts caregivers, MassHealth insured individuals, and more.
• The Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire offers resources, including a searchable database of support groups, a yearly updated list of facts and figures about the condition, and more educational programs to assist patients and caregivers in understanding and managing the disease.
• The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) also maintains a dedicated page for caregivers.
• The City of Boston’s Age Strong Commission is an ongoing resource for Boston families, offering on its website a page of resources for elderly residents and a phone line at a 617-635-4366 to help provide transportation and other quality of life services.
• The Blue Cross Blue Shield Caregiver Support Page offers a list of internal and external resources for caregivers seeking extra support.
• This article provides helpful information on managing an aging or disabled family member’s finances, often a stressful complication.
• This guide introduces and explains the differences between different forms of assisted and residential living for elderly and disabled people and may be helpful in planning next steps for care. 
• Dana Farber Caregiver Resources is a page directed at family caregivers of those suffering from a cancer diagnosis.
• Cancare Caregivers Support shares a support network for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers that connects struggling caregivers with emotional support.
• Cancer Support Community Massachusetts : This network offers support groups for both cancer patients and separately for caregivers.

Please feel free to reach out to us at the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for  supportive counseling and referrals, or if you have other resources to add or suggest.   From all of us here, have a safe and healthy November.