Caregiver Assistance

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Welcome to the Caregiver Assistance Center. You are there to support your Veteran; we are here to help you. VA wants to help you stay strong and stay informed with strategies for maintaining balance, caring for yourself, and speaking up for you and the Veteran. This site is designed to help you take better care of yourself. You will also find valuable information on VA benefits and services along with community resources to help you provide care.

• Review our new VA Caregiver Support website at www.caregiver.va.gov which is dedicated to providing information and resources designed specifically to support Caregivers.
• Read about the New Services for Family Caregivers of Post-9/11 Veterans - Under the "Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010," additional VA services are now available to seriously injured post-9/11 Veterans and their Family Caregivers through a new program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Learn more about these services and their eligibility criteria at www.caregiver.va.gov
• Give a call to our Caregiver Support Line- with VA's Caregiver Support Line - 1-855-260-3274 - assistance is just a quick phone call away. Whether you're in need of immediate assistance or have questions about what services you may be eligible for, the caring licensed professionals who answer the support line can:
  • Tell you about the assistance available from VA
  • Help you access services
  • Connect you with the Caregiver Support Coordinator at a VA Medical Center near you
  • Just listen, if that is what you need right now.
• Listen to a talk by Dr. Harriet Zeiner on "Neurologically based Impairments with focus on Traumatic Brain Injury"
• Listen to the talk from the "VA California Offices on Caregiving Program". Sarah Wade is the wife and family caregiver of retired army Sergeant Ted Wade. Ted is a polytrauma patient. Sarah shares her story. She talks about being an advocate for her husband.
• There is also a newsletter called RESCUE. This newsletter offers tips to help stroke caregivers with problems and concerns. It also speaks to concerns of the Veteran stroke survivor.

A caregiver is someone that takes responsibility for the care and well-being of another person while playing a role in certain parts of the care required. This care may include assistance with activities of daily living like personal hygiene, or providing supervision to ensure the safety of the Veteran. You may be a relative, significant other, neighbor, or friend. Whatever your role may be, it is important that you learn about the condition(s) which may be affecting the person for whom you are caring and help them to make healthy choices so that you will be better able to help them.

Remember...when caring for another person it is important to take care of yourself too! Seek out assistance from others when needed and be aware of your own limitations. VA offers a wide range of services for Caregivers of eligible Veterans of all eras. Getting Started

Get Ready - See the Eligibility Screen for New VA Caregiver Benefits, learn the benefits of change, how to start healthy living, and explore special situations

Self Management - Understand and track your progress through use of various health tools

Support and Encouragement - How family and friends can provide support

Caregiver Information - Caregiver resources for specific diseases and conditions and when to get additional help

Related Topics - Complementary and alternative approaches

Reviewed/Updated Date: December 2011
Clinical Advisory Board Sponsors: Patricia Green, Heather Mahoney-Gleason
Clinical Subject Matter Experts: Nancy Dailey, Deloris M Fields, Karen Ott, Denise Shea, Laural Traylor
Patient Education Subject Matter Experts: Dr. Kathy J. Horvath, Paulette Trudeau