Family Caregiver Support

The California Department of Aging administers the Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP), funded by the federal Older Americans Act (OAA), through contracts with the network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). AAAs provide services directly, or through partnerships with other public or private agencies.

The OAA, through FCSP, seeks to provide a local, multifaceted system of support services to (1) unpaid family caregivers of older adults, and (2) grandparents, or other older relatives, with primary caregiving responsibilities for a child.

FCSP services include, but are not limited to:

• Access Assistance including information assistance, interpretation/translation, and legal resources for caregivers.
• Information Services that provide public information and community education on resources and services available to current and potential caregivers and their families.
• Respite Care that provides caregivers with temporary in-home or out of home relief from caregiving responsibilities.
• Supplemental Services that provide assistive devices, home adaptations, caregiver registry services, and emergency cash or material aid, on a limited basis, to assist with caregiving responsibilities.
• Support Services including caregiver assessments, counseling, support groups, and training.

FCSP services are designed to reduce caregiver burden, enable caregivers to remain in the workforce, and prevent or delay the need for a higher level of care for the care receiver.

Eligibility for FCSP services requires that an older adult’s family caregiver must be 18 years of age or older.

Older care receivers must be age 60 years or older, or individuals of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction.

Grandparent or other older relative caregivers must be age 55 or older.

Child care receivers must be 18 years of age or younger, or individuals of any age with a disability. FCSP has no income requirement.