November is National Family Caregivers Month, recognizing the millions of people who provide care and support for a family member or friend every day. Caregiving takes many forms, like caring for a person’s basic needs, helping with medication and physical therapy, providing transportation to appointments, and helping them engage in activities in the community. Sometimes, caregivers can feel isolated or lonely as they focus on the needs of their loved one, and finding other caregivers and people who understand the caregiving community can be challenging.

NIDILRR-funded research and development supports caregivers in many ways, including creating programs and interventions that make it possible for caregivers to provide for their loved one while taking care of their own health and ability to participate in work and community. Here are a few of the projects working in this area and the resources they’ve created to help caregivers find support and community.

• The Family Support Research and Training Center to Bridge Aging and Disability aims to bridge aging and disability across the life course to advance family support, promote promising and evidence-informed practices for family caregivers across all stakeholder groups, and generate new knowledge and policy recommendations in critical family support areas. Check out their Family Support Stories podcast for resources, insights, and community support to empower family caregivers and advocate for their critical role in society.
• The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center develops research-based information resources for people with spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and burn injury and their families, including stress management for TBI caregivers and personal care attendants and SCI.

People with disabilities can also be caregivers, such as parents with disabilities:

• Increasing Adaptive Babycare Resources and Intervention Supports with Parents and Caregivers with Physical or Vision Disabilities project aims to increase support for parents and caregivers with physical or vision disabilities to complete child caregiving tasks and routines. Check out their resource lists including organizations, centers, and other resources to connect to community voices.
• The National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities conducts research and provides training and technical assistance to improve the lives of parents with disabilities and their families. Visit their website for tips and strategies as well as community perspectives from parents with disabilities.

Elsewhere in the community, these organizations and agencies can help caregivers find support and connect them to resources in their community:

• Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) help people with disabilities, older adults, and their families connect to long-term services and supports in their community. Find the ADRC serving your area.
• Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are community organizations run by and for people with disabilities and their families. Find the CIL serving your area.
• The National Caregiver Support Collaborative at the Administration for Community Living funds several programs to support the caregiving community. Explore their programs, webinars, and other resources.

If you are providing care and support to a loved one, there are agencies and organizations in your community that can help you find resources and connect to other caregivers. Visit our Community Resource Page on families or reach out to our information specialists to help in finding agencies, organizations, and online resources.