November is National Family Caregivers Month, recognizing and honoring those who provide care and support to a family member or friend. Millions of people provide unpaid care to a loved one every day, and family support happens across the lifespan, from caring for a child with a disability to supporting an older adult aging with or into disability.

Recent research and development projects are examining ways to support both caregivers of people with disabilities and caregivers with disabilities as they provide care–whether they are preparing to bring someone home to recover, balancing their own health and wellness while providing care, or making sure that their loved one is cared for when they can no longer provide support. Here are some of the newest NIDILRR-funded projects working in this space:

• Barriers to and Facilitators of Physical Activity Engagement will study the experiences of Black autistic youth and their caregivers when it comes to engaging in physical activity in the community and develop a framework to support development of evidence-based programming to remove barriers and encourage participation.
• Exploring the Feasibility of a Remote Group-Based Problem-Solving Intervention for Care Partners of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke will test an intervention to help caregivers develop problem-solving skills as they prepare to care for someone with a stroke or brain injury at home.
• The Family Support Research and Training Center (FSRTC) to Bridge Aging and Disability will bridge aging and disability across the life course to advance family support; promote promising and evidence-informed practices for diverse and underserved family caregivers, especially Hispanic/Latino, Black, and LGBTQ+ family caregivers; generate new knowledge and policy recommendations in critical family support areas; and create a National Resource Center on Family Support.
• Explore these and other current and completed caregiving projects in the NIDILRR Program Database.

The NIDILRR grantee community has also developed resources to support family caregivers: 

• The Center for Research, Training, and Dissemination of Family Support for People with Disabilities Across the Life Course hosted a series of webinars for family caregivers and those interested in the many facets of life for family caregivers.
• The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) offers research-based information and resources for people with traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury, and burn injury, as well as for their caregivers. Examples include stress management for TBI caregivers, working with personal care attendants, and helping kids with these injuries return to school.
• The National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities offers many resources for parents with disabilities, from managing mental and physical health to understanding parental rights, because parents with disabilities can also be caregivers for children or adults with disabilities.

If you are a caregiver or may be taking on that role soon, our information specialists are available to connect you to resources in your community. Contact us by email, phone, or chat, or set up a time to meet virtually during our Office Hours.