They Step in, Regardless of the Why

Despite financial and emotional challenges, kinship care is crucial for child welfare, offering a nurturing, familiar space for those in need. Situations like parental neglect or abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, incarceration, military deployment, and other family challenges often mean someone must assume the role of kinship caregiver.

Listen to Bruce and Brenda as they share their journey in assuming primary care for their four grandchildren.

NYSCRC Offers Vouchers to Help Pay for Respite Care for Kinship Caregivers. Learn more about our vouchers here

We currently have volunteer opportunities in Lewis, Herkimer, and Tompkins Counties. We are also seeking Respite Champions to begin programs in Cortland, Oneida, and Jefferson Counties!
Learn more about our AmeriCorps Seniors program here

Spreading the News in the North Country

Outreach Specialist Colleen Salisbury has been busy visiting North Country senior centers, county officials, and state representatives to share information about the services and importance of the Caregiver Wellness and Respite Center.

Next up for Colleen is a visit to the Indian Lake Welcome Center on Wednesday, September 10. The Welcome Center is located at 6132 NYS Route 28, Indian Lake, New York 12842. Her presentation begins at 3 PM.

NYSCRC Mini-Grants Will Enhance Respite for Five Organizations in NYS

Last month, NYSCRC sought proposals from organizations interested in developing or expanding respite programs in their communities.

We are thrilled to announce that the review committee approved five organizations:

High Peaks Hospice (Washington County) for expansion of the Volunteer Hospice Respite Program

Columbia County Office for the Aging (Columbia County) for development of respite programs in partnership with local faith communities

Cradle Beach (Erie County) for expansion of the Pathways Program, providing respite retreats in a beautiful setting on the shores of Lake Erie

The Blossom Respite Café and Gardens (Westchester County), a unique program offering music, art and therapeutic horticulture like gardening and sensory engagement for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

InterFaith Works (Onondaga County) for continued development of a weekly drop-in respite program in collaboration with a church in Syracuse and for the expansion of in-home respite through the Senior Companion Program

We’re excited about partnering with these agencies and about the work they do to bring respite relief to the caregivers in their communities.

Coalition Again Joins National Summit in DC

For the third year in a row, NYSCRC will be sending staff to Washington, DC, for the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC)'s annual conference. The 2025 Caregiver Nation Summit in November will bring together leading experts, frontline caregivers, and policymakers to explore topics such as the increasing intensity of caregiving and the challenges facing working caregivers. Summit sessions will highlight the latest research and data trends, including findings from Caregiving in the US 2025, a report released in July by AARP and NAC. That report shows nearly 1 in 4 Americans are providing complex care for a chronically ill or disabled individual--a 45% increase from 2015. 

Would you like to be a voice for family caregivers? If so, please consider joining our Advocacy Committee. We meet once a month to discuss how we can empower caregivers. Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 16 from 11 AM to 12 PM. Learn more here

What awaits you in life after your caregiving experience concludes?
We are excited to announce that we're hosting a webinar dedicated to exploring the journey beyond caregiving. We invite those whose caregiving roles have concluded to share their insights.

Would you be open to answering a few questions to guide us in crafting this webinar coming in November? If so, please submit your responses here.

Coming in October!

The NYSCRC Respite Registry will be available to anyone in NYS who is searching for a respite provider. This free platform is designed to meet the needs of family caregivers who hire their own providers, whether through vouchers, state funds, or paying privately.

We know that many of the families who receive a respite voucher from NYSCRC can find it challenging to identify a provider.

We encourage you to list yourself, if you are a provider or agency! It is just one more way for us to make it easier for families to find a respite care provider!

Need More Info on Kinship Caregiving? The New York State Kinship Navigator is a program operated by Catholic Charities Family and Community Services and specially designed to provide an information and referral network for kinship caregivers across all of New York State. You can find a list of statewide resources here.

Falls Prevention Awareness Week from September 22-26, 2025. This annual observance, a national effort led by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), is a crucial opportunity to raise awareness and reduce the risk of falls among older adults in our community. Here are some ways caregivers can help prevent falls in the home for their loved ones.

• The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and CancerCare are partnering up to hear directly from cancer caregivers. The goal is to outline a path toward a more supportive care system by better preparing caregivers for the vital roles they play. Understanding Gaps in Medical and Nursing Task Training for Cancer Caregivers is a Virtual Listening Session. Monday, September 15 from 1:00 - 2:30 PM.  
  Learn more and register

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.