New York City is home to an estimated one million people who provide unpaid care and assistance to family members, friends and neighbors. In many cases these caregivers are the sole lifeline for a person in need, providing day-to-day assistance with tasks ranging from errands and transport to assistance with medication, meals and other critical tasks. 

Although there are a host of resources available to informal caregivers, many struggle to find and utilize these tools.

In an effort to make these resources easier to access, the New York City Department for the Aging (NYC DFTA) has produced a three-video series that serves as a primer for caregivers in need.

The first video in the series explains what constitutes a caregiver, noting that many people with growing caregiver responsibilities often miss out on valuable support resources because they underestimate the importance of their work.

The second video focuses on ways to prevent caregiver burn out by balancing caregiver and personal responsibilities. The video walks viewers through scenarios where the needs of a loved one gradually increase over time and explains how families can identify resources through the NYC DFTA support network before caregiver responsibilities overwhelm well-meaning family members.

The final video in the series goes into detail about legislation designed to simplify receiving caregiver support, particularly the CARE Act, which requires medical personnel to identify a family caregiver before discharging individuals from a hospital stay. This video also runs through some real-world examples of first-time calls for caregiver support and family caregivers discussing their own experiences both providing and receiving assistance.

SelectCare Home Care Services applauds anyone who chooses to provide in-home care to those in need. Our team has extensive experience working alongside family caregivers, not only providing needed support, but by helping guide families to additional services meant to make life easier on caregivers and their loved ones. NYC DFTA continues to be a valuable resource to New York families and we urge everyone to familiarize themselves with the tools they provide.