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Caregiver Services

Caregiving can be extremely challenging at times. There is no one profile of a caregiver, a caregiver’s situation, or the duration of the caregiving experience. Caregiving can range from periodic phone calls and visits, to buying groceries or managing money, to the daily duties of personal care.

Information, training, decision support, respite, problem solving alternatives, and social support are among the things offered as services to caregivers. In Idaho there are several programs to aid caregivers with their responsibilities and challenges.

Respite Services

In-home respite is a service designed to encourage and support efforts of caregivers to maintain functionally or cognitively impaired individuals at home. Paid respite staff and volunteers provide companionship or personal care services, or both, when needed and appropriate for the care recipient and the caregiver.

Respite services may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Meeting emergency needs
  • Restoring or maintaining the physical and mental well being of the caregivers
  • Providing socialization for the care recipient

Eligibility

  • The care recipient shall have physical or cognitive impairments affecting Activities of Daily Living or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living functioning to the extent twenty-four (24) hour care or supervision is required.
  • A caregiver sixty (60) years of age or older residing with an eligible care recipient who is under sixty (60) years of age.
  • A caregiver under sixty (60) years of age residing with an eligible care recipient aged sixty (60) years or older.
  • Family caregiver (18+) who is caring for an individual of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction.

Eligibility Determination

  • Highest priority shall be given to caregivers of care recipients who have the greatest degree of physical or cognitive impairment and who are lacking informal supports other than the regular caregiver.

Caregiver Support Groups

The Area Agency on Aging holds two support groups at our main office on 935 Lincoln Road for caregivers:

  • Caregiver Support Group meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 12-1:30 PM in our Conference Room. This group is open to anybody who is caring for a loved one, regardless of age.
  • Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month from 12-1:30pm in our Conference Room.
    • The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) Program was started to educate, support and encourage grandparents raising their grandchildren and other relative caregivers of minor children in our service area. We can provide information and resources in the below areas and others as needed:
      • Legal
      • Financial
      • Medical
      • Respite/Child Care
      • Schooling
      • Counseling
      • Emotional issues
      • Parenting and advocacy skills

If you would like more information for either of these support groups contact the group facilitator at 208-522-5370 ext. 203

 

Free Online Dementia Skills Training provided by The Idaho Commission on Aging

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