Support for Caregivers
Many New Yorkers have extra responsibilities, such as caring for a loved one. This can add stress, making additional support necessary. New York City’s Department for the Aging’s Caregiver Program offers resources and programs to help.
New York City has 900,000 to 1.3 million caregivers, many of whom are women or older adults providing at least 30 hours of care each week in addition to working outside the home.
Caring for Adults
Caregivers often look after older adults with Alzheimer's, other dementias, or chronic illnesses. Some older adults are also raising their grandchildren, known as kinship care. Both situations can be stressful, especially if caregivers are unaware of available resources and programs.
NYC Aging funds 12 community-based caregiver programs that provide:
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Information and referrals
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Long-term care planning
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Support groups
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Counseling
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Training
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Respite care
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Financial assistance for assistive devices (medical alert systems, limited home modifications, and caregiving supplies)
Caregivers should seek support. Contact Aging Connect at 212-AGING-NYC (212-244-6469) or use our Services Finder (https://www.nyc.gov/site/dfta/services/find-help.page)
to locate the nearest Caregiver Program. For kinship caregivers, the New York State’s Kinship Navigator (https://www.nysnavigator.org/) offers more information on available services.
Learn more about NYC Aging’s support for caregivers in the Survey of Informal Caregivers
and Plan to Support Unpaid Caregivers (https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dfta/downloads/pdf/reports/UnpaidCaregivers2017.pdf).
Social Adult Day Care
For older adults needing help with daily activities, Social Adult Day Care (https://www.nyc.gov/site/dfta/community-partners/social-adult-day-care.page)
provides socialization, supervision, personal care, and nutrition in a structured setting. Use our Service Finder (https://www.nyc.gov/site/dfta/services/find-help.page) to locate the nearest one.