A federal law passed in 2000 established the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). The program calls for all states, working in partnership with area agencies on aging and local community-service providers, to have five basic services for family caregivers.

How do I find a Family Caregiver Support Program?
Contact your local Area Agencies on Aging. Additional caregiver support can be found online at the following: Family Caregiver Alliance - www.caregiver.org National Alliance for Caregiving - www.caregiving.org

These services include:
• Information to caregivers about available services,
• Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to services,
• Individual counseling, organization of support groups, and caregiver training to assist the caregivers in making decisions and solving problems relating to their caregiving roles, • Respite care to give caregivers temporary relief from their caregiving responsibilities, and • Supplemental services, on a limited basis, to complement the care provided by caregivers.

Those eligible for services through the NFCSP include:

• • Family caregivers of older adults, age 60 years or older,
• • Caregivers of a person with Alzheimer’s Disease or a related disorder (regardless of age),
• • Grandparents and relative caregivers, age 55 years or older, of children no older than age 18, or
• • Relative caregivers, age 55 years or older, of an adult child aged 19-59, with a disability.