Caregiving

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Caregiving

Many New Yorkers have additional responsibilities, such as caring for a loved one or an individual who needs more attention. These circumstances can add stress to our lives, making extra support necessary, and the Department for the Aging’s (NYC Aging) Caregiver Program has resources and programs available to help.

New York City is home to an estimated 1.3 million caregivers and growing. Many are women or older adults who provide at least 30 hours of care each week, in addition to working outside the home.

Caregivers additional responsibilities include looking after an older adult who has Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, or a chronic illness. It can also be an older adult who is raising their grandchildren and/or relative child under age 18. This is referred to as kinship care. Any of these scenarios can increase stress, especially when individuals do not realize they are caregivers and do not utilize the resources and programs that are available to help them.

NYC Aging community-based programs throughout the city that provide:

  • Information and referrals
  • Long-term care planning
  • Support groups
  • Counseling
  • Training
  • Respite care
  • Financial assistance for some types of assistive devices (medical alert systems, limited home modifications, and caregiving supplies)

Caregivers owe it to themselves to seek support. Contact Aging Connect at 212-AGING-NYC (212-244-6469) or use our Services Finder to locate the closest Caregiver Program in your neighborhood.

If you are a kinship caregiver, you can also use New York State’s Kinship Navigator to learn more about the services that are available. 

To learn more about NYC Aging’s efforts to support caregivers, read our Survey of Informal Caregivers and Plan to Support Unpaid Caregivers.

Social Adult Day Care

For older adults who require assistance with activities of daily living, Social Adult Day Care provides socialization, supervision, monitoring, personal care, and nutrition in a structured setting. To find the closest one near you, use our Service Finder.