Caregiver Support services for those who served our country in the armed forces

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Home > VA Caregiver Support Services > Caregiver Services

You may know that VA provides benefits and services for Veterans, but

did you know that VA also has a number of services designed

specifically to support you in your role as a Family Caregiver? VA

values your commitment as a partner in our pledge to care for those

who have " borne the battle, " and we have several support and service

options designed with you in mind. The programs are available both in

and out of your home to help you care for the Veteran you love and for

yourself.

Caregiver Support

Asking for help isn't always easy – especially if you're not exactly

sure what kind of support would be the best fit for your needs. Learn

more about how VA's trained professionals can help you find the

services and support that are right for you and the Veteran you care

for.

Caregiver Support Line

With VA's Caregiver Support Line – 1- – 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's what you need right now.

If you're just getting started with VA, calling the Caregiver Support

Line is a great first step to take to learn more about the support

that's available to you.

VA's Caregiver Support Line

1- toll-free

Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 11:00 pm ET

Saturday 10:30 am – 6:00 pm ET

Caregiver Support Coordinator

Your local Caregiver Support Coordinator is a licensed professional

who can support you by matching you with services for which you are

eligible, and providing you with valuable information about resources

that can help you stay smart, strong and organized as you care for the

Veteran you love. Find your local Caregiver Support Coordinator by

visiting our Help Near Home page and entering your zip code.

Caregiver Services

Below are descriptions of various services available to Family

Caregivers of Veterans. If you'd like additional information or are

interested in signing up for any of the services listed below, contact

VA's Caregiver Support Line or your local Caregiver Support

Coordinator for assistance (see above).

Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) Centers

ADHC Centers are a safe and active environment with constant

supervision designed for Veterans to get out of the home and

participate in activities. It is a time for the Veteran you care for

to socialize with other Veterans while you, the Family Caregiver, get

some time for yourself. ADHC Centers employ caring professionals who

will assess a Veteran's rehabilitation needs and help a Veteran

accomplish various tasks so he or she can maintain or regain personal

independence and dignity. The Veteran you care for will participate in

rehabilitation based on his or her specific health assessment during

the day (ADHC centers are generally open Monday through Friday during

normal business hours). The ADHC Centers emphasize a partnership with

you, the Veteran you care for and Centers' staffs.

Home-Based Primary Care

Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) is a program designed to deliver

routine health care services to your home when the Veteran you care

for has medical issues that make it challenging for him or her to

travel. Home-Based Primary Care is staffed with medical professionals

who will come to your home. Some of their services are primary care

and nursing, managing medication, and helping plan and put together

nutritious and tasty meals. Home-Based Primary Care can also include

physical rehabilitation, mental health care for your Veteran, social

work and referrals to VA and community services. This program can help

ease the worry and stress of having to bring a Veteran to and from a

VA medical center for routine medical appointments.

Skilled Home Care

The Skilled Home Care service provides a medical professional who

comes to your home to help care for a homebound Veteran. Some of the

care a Veteran can receive includes basic nursing services and

physical, occupational, or speech therapies. To be eligible for this

service, a Veteran must be homebound, which means he or she has

difficulty traveling to and from appointments and so is in need of

receiving medical services at home. The Skilled Home Care service is

similar to Home-Based Primary Care, but it involves VA purchasing care

for a Veteran from a licensed non-VA medical professional.

Homemaker and Home Health Aide Program

Feeding and bathing another person can be very stressful, physically

tasking, and time-consuming for you. Often times, taking care of a

Veteran's needs leaves no time for you to take care of your own needs.

The Homemaker and Home Health Aide Program is designed to help a

Veteran with personal care needs. Your local VA medical center can

help arrange for a home health aide who will come to your home on a

regular schedule to allow you time to take care of your own needs.

Caring for yourself helps you stay strong for yourself and the Veteran

you care for.

Home Telehealth

We know how difficult or challenging it can be to get the Veteran you

care for to a VA medical center for assistance. The Home Telehealth

program is designed to give you ready access to a care coordinator by

using technology (e.g., telephone, computers) in your home. The Home

Telehealth program enhances and extends care management to you, the

Family Caregiver. The program is typically offered to individuals who

live at a distance from a VA Medical Center. Home Telehealth services

can also include education and training or online and telephone

support groups. Please contact your Caregiver Support Coordinator to

discuss which telehealth programs are available at your VA.

Respite Care

As a Family Caregiver, it can be hard to find time for a much-needed

break from your daily routine and care responsibilities so that you

have some time for yourself. Respite is time for relaxing and renewing

your own energy, and respite care can provide you with the time to do

that. If a Veteran requires a Caregiver, you are eligible to receive

up to 30 days of respite care per year. The care can be offered in a

variety of settings including at your home or through temporary

placement of a Veteran at a VA Community Living Center, a

VA-contracted Community Residential Care Facility, or an Adult Day

Health Care Center. Respite care may also be provided in response to a

Family Caregiver's unexpected hospitalization, a need to go out of

town, or a family emergency. Staying strong for your Veteran means

staying strong yourself. By taking an opportunity to be refreshed

through respite care, you may be amazed at how your fresh outlook will

help you and your Veteran.

Home Hospice Care

During the advanced stages of a terminal disease, Home Hospice Care

can offer comfort and supportive services for you and the Veteran you

care for in your own home. The professionals who provide Home Hospice

Care understand the challenges you face and are there to help you and

the Veteran you care for ease into the final stages of life. An

interdisciplinary team of health care providers and volunteers from a

local community hospice agency provide the services during this sad

and challenging time. The team is there for you 24 hours a day, seven

days a week. Bereavement care (grief counseling) is also available for

you and other immediate family members.

Find your local Caregiver Support Coordinator

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