Support available to family caregivers

Silver Tips is written by the Senior Citizens’ Law Office in Albuquerque.

More than 160,000 New Mexicans give care to an aging parent or spouse. These family caregivers offer care and support that improve their loved ones' quality of life and delay or prevent the need for institutional care.

The New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department wants caregivers and their families to know that help is available to them.

Many senior centers offer programs that can help ease the burden on family caregivers. These programs include transportation, home-delivered meals, homemaker services, companionship and home repair and renovation. Most of these programs have no income limit, but there might be a waiting list for services other than home-delivered meals.

A few senior centers also operate adult day care, which provide a safe, engaging environment for adults with dementia. To learn more about these programs, contact your local senior center. Senior center phone numbers are listed with city government numbers in the blue pages of the phone book.

In addition to these programs, the Aging and Long-Term Services Department has received a grant to expand services to Alzheimer's and dementia families. These services include direct respite care, information and assistance, counseling and support groups, and education and training for providers and caregivers. Services are available primarily to New Mexican families with loved ones who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, although services also are available for those with a diagnosis of dementia.

The project is made possible through a $350,000 Alzheimer's Disease Demonstration Grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging. Through a variety of providers located around the state, family caregivers can receive in-home respite or day care respite and respite videos. Respite care provides care for the loved one so the primary caregiver can take a break or handle other obligations.

With in-home respite, a trained respite employee is provided through the contracting agency to come to the home to provide care and/or supervision for the dependent adult with Alzheimer's and/or Dementia. Caregivers can use this time to catch up on housework, run errands or spend a little time taking care of themselves.

Day care respite is provided in an adult day care setting with trained staff. Loved ones are offered activities, supervision and socialization. Lunch and snacks also are provided. Respite videos were created for Alzheimer's and dementia clients with the intent of holding their interest for short periods of time while caregivers tend to other tasks.

Videos are being piloted with caregivers across the state and can be obtained from the NM Alzheimer's Association. The Alzheimer's Association also offers respite vouchers, which pay the cost for respite care. For more information on the videos or vouchers, call the association at 800-777-8155.

For information on caregiver support programs in your area, call your local senior center, or the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department toll-free statewide at 800-432-2080.