The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) on Tuesday announced the expansion of its Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral (TCARE) evidence-based program from a successful pilot to a statewide initiative that is set to reach more than 150 trained TCARE specialists across New York State.
TCARE provides assessment, intervention, and support for caregivers. It begins with a dynamic screening tool and a personalized evaluation conducted by a care manager to individuals providing uncompensated care to someone else, such as family members or other loved ones. This assessment delves into critical areas such as identity, stress, depression, and the delicate balance between caregiving and life objectives, capturing the impact on the caregiver’s relationship. The evaluation also highlights the positive, uplifting aspects of their caregiving journey.
With more than one in five Americans serving as caregivers, the expansion of TCARE comes at a crucial time. When a caregiver feels overwhelmed and is unable to continue providing day-to-day care to a loved one, the care recipient is at risk for being admitted to a nursing home or other facility. In fact, caregiver strain is among the top reasons for individuals being admitted to facilities. In New York State alone, approximately 4.1 million people take on informal caregiving roles, facing physical, emotional, psychological, and financial strains. TCARE has proven outcomes reducing stress and depression for family caregivers. It also promotes and extends the ability for persons to age in place by supporting the network of people – known as informal caregivers – who provide care to them.
For more information about TCARE and its caregiver support platform, please visit https://www.tcare.ai/.
