Special Fathers Who Care for Their Special Needs Children

Fathers come in all shapes and sizes, each bringing their own unique qualities and characteristics to the role. Whether nurturing, adventurous, or humorous — or all of the above — every father contributes in meaningful ways to the lives of their children. There are millions of fathers who are dedicatedly caring for a child who is living with a disability or chronic condition, providing support and love in challenging circumstances.

View the touching Australian documentary, DAD, a film about autism and fatherhood.

Advocacy Initiatives at Work

Some good news!

The National Respite Coalition (NRC), the Policy Division of the ARCH National Respite Network, shared good news this past week. "Because of your calls, letters, and emails to Members of Congress in response to NRC's alerts, and the advocacy of many disability, aging and caregiver advocacy group working in coalition, the President's full budget proposal, which was released today [May 30], recommends continuation of the Lifespan Respite Care Program with no cuts! In addition, the final President's budget does not include ANY funding cuts to the Older Americans Act Programs, including the National Family Caregiver Support Program, Aging and Disability Resource Centers or Adult Protective Services." Of course, the fight is not over. The proposed budget still recommends the elimination of other critical programs. Also, Congress holds the purse strings and only Congress can make final decisions about FY 2026 funding levels. 

For Organizations: Request increased funding for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and the Nation Family Caregiver Support Program

Take action to save Medicaid

Join our Advocacy Committee

The Potential Fallout of Medicaid Cuts

Jason Resendez, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), recently appeared on PBS NewsHour where he explained how proposed massive cuts to Medicaid could impact family caregivers and those they care for.

Your Perspective is Important

The New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) is seeking feedback from individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, caregivers, and others affected by their work. As their five-year State Plan wraps up in 2026, they are gathering ideas for the new plan for 2027-2031. Please complete the quick survey before it closes on June 13, 2025.

What’s in Your Tool Box?

Colleen Salisbury, Outreach Specialist for the Caregiver Wellness and Respite Center (CWRC), will co-host a virtual series of Powerful Tools for Caregivers classes. This six-week program is scheduled to take place every Tuesday, from July 8 through August 12, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM. It aims to empower informal caregivers with essential skills for their own well-being while they support their loved ones. Find out more about the series on our events page and register to participate.

CWRC will also be the topic of a presentation at the upcoming Aging Concerns Unite Us conference later this month in Albany. Colleen will join NYSCRC Director Doris Green to present “CWRC Expansion: Effectively Engaging the Healthcare Community to Support Caregivers.” See registration information below.

The Mixed Blessings of Independence

Independence is:

The state of wanting or being able to do things for yourself and make your own decisions, without help or influence from other people.

As someone who works with older adults, I frequently hear how important it is to them to “maintain their independence.” The fear of losing independence generates very strong emotions for people and seems to be one of the most frequent reasons for conflict among family members when questions of safety arise. This has made me wonder what does “independence” really mean to people? Read the entire article

• Live with Greg | 2024: Year in Review 2025: What's Next?
  Last month marked Older Americans Month, during which the NYS Office for the Aging teamed up with the Association on Aging in New York for a livestream discussing trends, budget outlooks, and future plans for aging services. Catch the recorded session from the NYSOFA newsletter!
  

• Over 80 million Americans use medication for short-term pain, and millions receive opioid prescriptions each year. FAM (Families, Addiction & Mental Health Network) created Take Control of Pain, a campaign to guide people through pain management choices. This initiative offers customized educational and advocacy resources to help caregivers and their loved ones make informed decisions about pain treatment. Learn more
  

• Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can be difficult, especially when they experience agitation, anxiety, and depression, known as neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). The Caregiver Action Network has launched a course that provides practical strategies to help manage these issues and enhance the well-being of both the caregiver and the care receiver. Find out more

• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is June 15, 2025. WEAAD aims to enhance global awareness of elder abuse and neglect by highlighting the cultural, social, economic, and demographic factors influencing these issues. The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) is holding a webinar for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Webinar: Beyond the Billions: Understanding and Preventing Elder Financial Fraud, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 1 PM - 2:15 PM. Read more and register.
  

• The Upstate Elder Abuse Center at Lifespan presents an online Elder Abuse 101 webinar: Elder Abuse 101: The Basics for Aging Service & DV/SA Professionals. This event is useful to any professionals who work with older adults; whether it’s a new topic or just a refresher. This training is FREE but registration is required.
  Thursday, June 12, 2025, 11 AM-12 PM. Register here
  

• How do programs under Medicaid, Medicare, and the Older Americans Act support family caregivers and those they serve? The National Alliance for Caregiving and its partners present, Strengthening American Families: Programs & Policies to Support Family Caregivers. This briefing on some of the key federal programs that family caregivers rely upon will be held on June 12, 2025 from 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM in Washington, DC. More information and registration
  

• The Aging Concerns Unite Us (ACUU) conference is New York’s premiere professional development conference for aging service professionals. The aging services industry looks to this conference to learn about a broad range of subjects: innovative programs, best practices, and policies to support healthy living for aging New Yorkers. June 24 and 25, 2025. Learn more and register for the ACUU conference
  

• Caregiver Wellness and Respite Center is offering virtual series of Powerful Tools for Caregivers classes. This six-week program is scheduled to take place every Tuesday from July 8 through August 12, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM. It aims to empower informal caregivers with essential skills for their own well-being while they support their loved ones. Find out more about the series on our events page and register to participate.

Would you like to add your organization to the NY Connects
Resource Directory? Please use this link to request that your organization be added to the Directory. Please note, the entity must provide a service to caregivers, including but not limited to respite care. There are additional inclusion/exclusion criteria—your request will be reviewed by the local NY Connects program for inclusion in the resource directory. To learn more, call: 1-800-342-9871 or visit www.nyconnects.ny.gov 

This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,375,000 with 75 percentage funded by ACL/HHS and $458,330 and 25 percentage funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.