A Message from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Caregivers are loved ones, family and friends, who are essential to the healing of sick and injured Veterans, providing critical attentiveness in the home to complement the life saving work of the medical points of care in VA's hospital system. Transportation between home and VA alone is demanding enough, but their contributions go well beyond that, magnifying the importance of our partnership. Their sacrifice is enormous, every day, year after year, for Veterans, who safeguarded this Nation. Caregivers are our indispensable partners in Veteran’s healthcare, and they deserve our support.
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NEED HELP
For assistance with information and referrals about any of these programs, please contact a VA social worker, case manager, or the caregiver support coordinator at your local VA Medical Center. If you are a caregiver of a Veteran and you need assistance, please contact Social Work at your nearest VA Medical Center. They will direct you to the right person for information and assistance on resources to support you and your Veteran at home.
Taking Care of Yourself So You Can Take Better Care of Others
Ask for help – you can’t do it all
Make a list so when others ask what they can do, you have a list they can choose from.
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VA Caregiver Services
Home-Based Primary Care - delivers routine healthcare services to your home, including primary care, nursing, medication management, nutrition, physical rehabilitation, mental health, social work, and referrals to VA/community services.
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National Caregiver Support Line
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is pleased to announce the launch of a toll-free National Caregiver Support Line 1-855-260-3274.
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VA and Caregivers
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers assistance to caregivers. Caregivers provide a valuable service for Veterans and are "partners" with VA in providing excellent health care. Caregivers allow Veterans to remain in their own home and also play an important role in supporting Veterans who are hospitalized or living outside their home.
What is a Caregiver and Are You One?
Caregivers assist those who are chronically ill, disabled, or are getting older and are no longer able to care for themselves. Caregiving includes helping with personal needs or household chores, as well as managing a person's finances, arranging for outside services, or visiting regularly to see how the individual is doing. Caregivers are generally unpaid family members or friends (though they may be paid professionals) who provide care to their loved one. You do not need to live with a person to be considered a caregiver and many people who serve as a caregiver do not recognize themselves as such – you may simply think you’re "helping out."
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you are a caregiver.
- Do you feel responsible for providing support to a loved one?
- Do you help out a loved one around the home, with cooking or cleaning, even if only on an occasional basis?
- Do you take your loved one to run errands and/or escort them to medical appointments?
- Would your loved one call you in an emergency and expect your prompt assistance?
- Do you provide support or assistance to a loved one living in long-term care, assisted living, or a residential facility?
Without assistance, caregivers may experience stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, financial challenges, or neglect their personal health. VA is here to help you balance your life and achieve greater personal satisfaction with your role as a caregiver. This website will help you find out more about the assistance VA offers to Caregivers.
Caregivers at a Glance*
- 54 Million adults in the US provide unpaid care to an adult family member or friend
- Over two-thirds are women
- 45% are age 18-49
- 40% are age 50-64
- More than half are married
- Approximately three-fourths have worked while caregiving
- Over 40% say they did not have a choice in taking on the caregiver role
- A majority assist their loved one with at least one activity of daily living (usually helping the person in and out or bed and chairs)
- Over 50% experience medium to high levels of stress as a result of the demands of their role as a caregiver
- One-quarter say they have a difficult time coordinating care with health care professionals or service providers
*National Alliance for Caregiving and American Association of Retired Persons Survey - 2009
What’s New
The VHA Caregiver Support Web site has been redesigned with you, the caregiver, in mind. We have arranged the site to make it easier for you to find valuable services and benefits. Being a caregiver requires dedication, compassion, and resilience. We offer valuable resources which will help balance your life and ease the burden of the extraordinary care you provide everyday.
Helpful Tips
Ask for Help
Feel good about the hard work you do, but remember that you can’t do it all. You will need help from other people, such as friends, family, neighbors, or volunteer groups in your area.
Avoid Isolation
Pursue a hobby, take a class, or join a reading group or telephone support group
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