The U.P. Family Caregiver Network consists of the U.P. Area Agency on Aging and service providers located throughout the Upper Peninsula.

The program calls for all states, working in partnership with area agencies on aging and local community-service providers to have five basic services for family caregivers, including:

• Information to caregivers about available services;
• Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to services;
• Individual counseling, organization of support groups, and caregiver training to caregivers to assist the caregivers in making decisions and solving problems relating to their caregiving roles;
• Respite care to enable caregivers to be temporarily relieved from their caregiving responsibilities; and

Supplemental services, on a limited basis, to compliment the care provided by caregivers.

The program targets:

• Family caregivers of older adults;
• Grandparents and relative caregivers, age 60 years or older, of children no older than age 18 (including grandparents who are sole caregivers of grandchildren and those individuals who are affected by mental retardation or who have developmental disabilities).

Priority consideration is given to:

• Persons in greatest social need and economic need (with particular attention to low-income, minority individuals); and
• Older individuals providing care and support to persons with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities.

For more information on Family Caregiving services, click here or contact the U.P. Caregivers Helpline at 1-800-338-7227.