Department of Veterans Affairs Caregiver Support
Program Update
Michael Kilmer, LCSW
Chief Consultant , Care Management and Social Work Services
Patient Care Services
Department of Veterans Affairs
June 24, 2014
Caregiver Support Program
Mission Statement: To promote the health and well-being of family
Caregivers who care for our nation’s Veterans, through education, resources,
support, and services.
– Allow Veterans to remain at home in the community
– Address specific needs of Family Caregivers with a menu of programs and
services
– Promote Veteran & Caregiver health and well-being
– Provide one location to obtain needed information
– Provide training & information on common conditions
– Reduce isolation with professional & peer support
– Provide options to give Caregivers respite
– Sensitize health care providers to the Caregivers’ role
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Menu of VA Services to Support Family Caregivers
In-Home Care
Caregiver Support
Skilled Nursing
Support Groups
Home Health Aide
Caregiver Support Coordinators
Home Based Primary Care
Peer Support Mentoring Program
Veteran Directed Home &
Building Better CaregiversTM
Community Based Care
Respite Care
Services to Address Mobility Issues
Equipment
Home Modification
Automobile Modification
Education and Training
Core Curriculum
Self-Care Courses
Financial Support
Aid and Attendance
Caregiver Stipend (Post 9-11)
Information and Referral
Caregiver Web site: www.caregiver.va.gov
Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274
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Caregiver Support Coordinators
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At all VA Medical Centers
Clinical experts on Caregiver issues
Knowledgeable about VA and non-VA resources
Assist with application for new benefits
Organize Caregiver focused activities and services
Ensure Caregiver sensitivity is integrated into all programs
Provide National Caregiver Support Line follow-up
Establish programming for National Family Caregiver Month in
November
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Caregiver Education, Training, and Support
Expanding Evidence-Based Interventions & Best Practices
Resources to Enhance All Caregivers Health VA (REACH VA)
– Designed to provide education support, and teach problem-solving for
Caregivers of Veterans with Alzheimer’s Disease/dementia
– Currently being expanded to Spinal Cord Injury /Disease, Multiple Sclerosis,
and Mental Health
Spouse /Caregiver Telephone Support
– Groups of Post 9/11 spouses meet with a VA clinician to learn problem solving
skills, resiliency training, and to receive support
– Currently being expanding to broader audience
Building Better CaregiversTM
– An interactive, web based workshop developed by Stanford University and
provided in partnership with the National Council on Aging (NCoA)
Peer Support Mentoring Program
– New Caregivers are matched to more experienced Caregivers
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Caregiver Outreach
Caregiver Support Line
• More than 130,000 calls received
• Averaging ~ 200 calls per day
Caregiver Website
• List serve members = 38,000+
• Average visits per day = 830
• Pages viewed per visits = 3
www.caregiver.va.gov
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Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family
Caregivers - Eligibility Criteria Overview
Veteran or Servicemember undergoing medical discharge incurred or aggravated
a serious injury in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001 (includes
Traumatic Brain Injury, psychological trauma or other mental disorders).
and
Veteran or Servicemember requires on-going assistance from a Caregiver for
a minimum of 6 months to:
1. Assist with the management of personal care functions required in everyday living;
2. Significantly enhance the Veteran’s or Servicemember’s ability to live at home
safely; and
3. Support the Veteran or Servicemember’s potential progress in rehab.
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Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family
Caregivers - Eligibility Criteria Overview (contd.)
and
The serious injury requires another person (a Caregiver) to assist the Veteran with the
management of personal care functions required in everyday living because of one or
both of the following:
– An inability to perform one or more Activities of Daily Living including dressing
and undressing, personal hygiene, grooming, toileting, feeding oneself,
mobility, or a frequent need of adjustment of a prosthetic or orthopedic
appliance
– A need for supervision, protection, or assistance based on symptoms or other
impairments or injury including seizures, difficulty with planning and
organizing, safety risks, difficulty with sleep regulation, delusions or
hallucinations, difficulty with recent memory, or difficulty with self-regulation
**Note: there are additional criteria beyond what is listed here.
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Primary Family Caregiver Supports and Services
• Stipend
– Direct payment to primary Family Caregiver
– Centrally funded and managed
– Based on wages of a home health aide in the geographic area where
the Veteran resides
– Tiered based on amount and degree of personal care services
provided
• Health Insurance
– Civilian Health and Medical Program VA (CHAMPVA)
• Travel and Lodging
– Integrate into existing programs
• Mental Health Services
– Individual/Group psychotherapy and counseling
– VA or by contract
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Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family
Caregivers Update*
• Applications filed: 31,130
• Approved Applications: 15,900
– Tier 3 – 6,121 (national average $2,320 per month)
– Tier 2 – 6,078 (national average $1,470 per month)
– Tier 1 – 3,701 (national average $610 per month)
• New Healthcare Coverage enrollees: 4,115
• Veteran Demographics:
– 26% are Service Connected for TBI
– 70% are Service Connected for PTSD
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*Data from May 9, 2011 to June 9, 2014
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Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers
Caregiver Education and Training
Standardized Core Curriculum
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Developed in collaboration with Easter Seals
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In-person, workbook/DVD, or web-based
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Includes modules on:
Caregiver Self-Care
Home Safety
Basic Caregiver Skills (vital signs, etc)
Providing Personal Care
Managing Challenging Behaviors
Resources (legal, financial, VA, community, advocacy)
Training Data Update:
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More than 20,000 Family Caregivers have completed training to date
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