Families are the major provider of long-term care in America. In 2008, about 20% of adult North Carolinians reported providing care or assistance to a family member or friend with a long-term illness or disability.

In an effort to help family and informal caregivers care for their loved ones at home for as long as possible, The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), established in 2000, provides grants to States and Territories to fund a range of supports that assist these caregivers.

As the State Unit on Aging, the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services administers the State’s Family Caregiver Support Program. Services are provided locally through 16 Area Agencies on Aging.

The NFCSP offers a range of services to support family caregivers. Specific services vary by county but generally include:

• Information to caregivers about available services,
• Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to the services,
• Individual counseling, organization of support groups, and training to assist caregivers in the areas of health, nutrition, and financial literacy, and in making decisions and solving problems about their caregiving roles   
• Respite care to enable caregivers to be temporarily relieved from their caregiving responsibilities; and
• Supplemental services, on a limited basis

These services can work in conjunction with other State and Community-Based Services to provide a coordinated set of supports. Studies have shown that these services can reduce caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress and enable them to provide care longer, thereby avoiding or delaying the need for costly institutional care.

FCSP Serves the Caregiver

• Regional Caregiver Support Groups Guide (2024)
• Caregiver Academy February Event