About
Are you caring for an older relative or spouse? Do you have primary responsibility for raising a grandchild? The constant demands and responsibility for caring for another person can be both rewarding and tiring. Caregiving can be fulfilling but emotionally exhausting.
History
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), established in 2000, provides grants to States and Territories, based on their share of the population aged 70 and over, to fund a range of supports that assist family and informal caregivers to care for their loved ones at home for as long as possible.
Families are the major provider of long-term care, but research has shown that caregiving exacts a heavy emotional, physical and financial toll. Many caregivers who work and provide care experience conflicts between these responsibilities. Twenty two percent of caregivers are assisting two individuals, while eight percent are caring for three or more. Almost half of all caregivers are over age 50, making them more vulnerable to a decline in their own health, and one-third describe their own health as fair to poor.
The NFCSP offers a range of services to support family caregivers. These services work in conjunction with other State and Community-Based Services to provide a coordinated set of supports. Studies have shown that these services can reduce caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress and enable them to provide care longer, thereby avoiding or delaying the need for costly institutional care.
Services
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) is designed to provide help and support just for you - the caregiver.
The staff of the Family Caregiver Program can provide:
- Information about available resources and services
- Assistance with locating resources
- Temporary respite (relief) from the constant demands of caregiving responsibilities
- Provision of supplies or devices that may make your tasks easier
- Other support services (monthly support groups, educational workshops, quarterly newsletter, and an annual caregiver appreciation event)
Please note:
If the person you care for is enrolled in a program that has a case manager, you may request assistance through the case manager.
Eligibility
Persons eligible for a Family Caregiver Grant:
- Adult family members or other informal caregivers age 18 and older providing care to individuals 60 years of age and older
- Adult family members or other informal caregivers age 18 and older providing care to individuals of any age with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders
- Older relatives (not parents) age 55 and older providing care to children under the age of 18; and
- Older relatives, including parents, age 55 and older providing care to adults ages 18-59 with disabilities
Care recipient must live in Anne Arundel County. Grant award is based on the availability of funds.
You will be required to submit a W-9 form and a Funds Acknowledgement form before a request for respite care can be processed and payment disbursed. Upon receipt of these forms and approval of the grant, payment will be issued in approximately 4-6 weeks.