Family Caregiver Services

Below are general programs and services specifically designed for caregivers.   Because funding is limited and local needs differ, not all services are available in every community.   For more information on the following programs, call the U.P. 2-1-1 Call Center:
    U.P. Residents dial "2-1-1"   /   Others call toll-free:   (800) 338-1119

Adult Day Care

Adult Day Care consists of daytime care of any part of day (less than 24 hours of care) for functionally impaired elderly persons.   It is provided through a supportive group setting other than the individual's home.   View the list of U.P. Adult Day Care Centers.

Program participants must be in need of:
• supervision in order to live in their own home or the home of a relative,
• a substitute caregiver while their regular caregiver is at work, in need of respite, or otherwise unavailable.
• assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs includes personal hygiene and grooming, meal preparation and kitchen safety, homemaking and leisure pursuits.)

Each Adult Day Care program shall provide directly or make arrangement for the following:
• case coordination and support,     • transportation
• personal care,     • nutrition, and     • recreation.

The Adult Day Care program, at their option, may also provide directly or make arrangements for the following:
• rehabilitative care,     • medical support,     • nursing services,
• dental services,         • pediatric care,         • opthalmological care,
• health counseling,     • escorted shopping assistance.

Caregiver Support Groups

Support Groups are available in many communities to allow persons facing similar problems to cope through the sharing of experiences, practical suggestions, and emotional support.   Support groups can be general (family members or children of aging parents) or disease specific (Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Parkinson's, etc.).

UPCAP's Kinship Caregiver Support Groups, for example, are geared towards grandparents or other family members who have assumed primary caregiving responsibility for another relative's children.   Visit the Relatives as Parents web-page for additional information.

Caregiver Training

Caregiver Trainings help caregivers understand and cope with a broad range of issues associated with caregiving.   Programs include:

• Educational Programs, including development and distribution of printed materials on the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of caregiving, as well as current research and public policy concerns.

• Initiatives, which provide support activities for caregivers (i.e., support groups, information and assistance in connecting with community resources, etc.).

• Training Programs pertaining to techniques for providing personal care services to care recipients.

Visit UPCAP's Wellness Programs page for information on Creating Confident Caregivers workshops for those dealing with dementia issues.

Home Injury Control

This program provides adaptations to the home environment of an older adult in order to prevent or minimize the occurrence of injuries.   Home Injury Control does not include any structural or restorative home repair, chore, or homemaker activities.

Allowable changes may include:
• installation or maintenance of enhanced lighting
• ramps for barrier free access         • smoke/gas alarms
• bathroom chairs & grab bars         • non-slip treatments,
• vision or hearing adaptive devices     • stairway or hallway handrails

Relief for Caregivers (Respite)

In-home Respite programs provide companionship, supervision, and/or assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) for mentally or physically disabled and frail elderly persons in the absence of the primary caregiver(s).   This service allows caregivers to get out and tend to their own personal needs (appointments, recreation, etc.).   Caregivers need to maintain their own health and wellness so as to give the best possible care to a loved one.

To be eligible for this service, individuals must require continual supervision in order to live in their own homes or the home of a primary caregiver.   There must be a need for a substitute caregiver for when the primary care giver is in need of relief or otherwise unavailable.   Individuals must need assistance in performing activities of daily living (ADLs).

Transportation & Escort

Transportation services allow older persons to access community services, health care providers, and shopping.   Transportation services can be offered through any or all of the following modes of transport: demand-response, volunteer drivers, or public transit systems.   (A demand-response transportation service has flexible routing and/or scheduling of small vehicles to provide door to door service on demand.)

U.P. Kinship Care Resource Center

It is estimated that there are 1200 households in which grandparents or other family members are raising relative children across the Upper Peninsula.   They may be doing so under a formal arrangement, or not.   The number of challenges, concerns, and issues facing these caregivers is overwhelming.   They include a wide range of topics such as legal problems, school issues, financial concerns, medical needs, daycare arrangements, etc.   The U.P. Kinship Care Resource Center is here to answer questions kinship families may have, and help them find the resources they need within their own communities.

For more information, visit the Relatives as Parents web-page or call UPCAP:
    (906) 786-4701 or 1-800-338-7227

Other Caregiver Resources

In addition to the local caregiver programs and services, you may wish to contact the following: