National Family Caregivers Month

Happy National Family Caregivers Month!
Hello, Caregivers!
Happy National Family Caregivers Month (NFCM)! Every November, the United States celebrates NFCM and honors those who serve as family caregivers. The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) is excited to join the celebration by honoring caregivers who are at the core of our mission – caregivers of Veterans.
CSP proudly supports a diverse group of Veterans’ caregivers – from spouses, to parents, to children and friends. No matter your relationship to the Veteran for whom you provide care, YOU are the reason our nation’s Veterans receive critical care with love, compassion, and honor.
As caregivers, you serve as the strongest advocates and fiercest champions of Veterans. Thank you for who you are and all you do.
As a small token of our appreciation, CSP is launching a month-long celebration, filled with special engagements, community events, activities, and more. Participating is easy, and many events are virtual. Simply contact the CSP team at your local VA facility to join in on the fun.
Again, thank you for providing critical care to our Veterans, day in and day out. Thank you for being you. Happy National Family Caregivers Month!
Celebrate NFCM with an event near you!
No matter where you are, your local Caregiver Support Program (CSP) Team has an NFCM event planned just for you. Finding an event near you is easy:
- Locate your local CSP team using our locator tool
- Contact your local CSP team and ask about upcoming NFCM events
- Join your local CSP team’s NFCM next event!
We’re excited to celebrate with you, and we hope you are just as excited to celebrate with us. Reach out today to your local CSP team today!
Check out these Caregivers self-care resources
Celebrate NFCM by practicing self-care! Here are a few resources to get you started.
Annie Text Message Program for caregivers: Annie, the VA’s text messaging service, has several text programs for caregivers. Caregivers can receive messages to help them manage stress, take better care of themselves, manage dementia behaviors, and cope with bereavement. Messages may be educational, motivational or an activity to manage stress. You may stop the service at any time. Caregivers need a phone capable of text messaging to enroll. Talk to your Caregiver Support Program (CSP) Teams to receive Annie messages.
Read letters from other Caregivers
Check out CSP’s Dear Fellow Caregiver series to read these inspiring letters from caregivers of Veterans.
Dear Fellow Caregivers: I’m an advocate for Inclusive Care
Anne Adkinson is an advocate for the Campaign for Inclusive Care, a national initiative to integrate caregivers into their Veteran’s healthcare team. Read her letter to learn how Inclusive Care changed her experience as a caregiver and what she hopes other caregivers of Veterans can gain as well.
Dear Fellow Caregivers: Taking Me Back Again
Lou Anne Bates is the caregiver for her husband, a United States Army Veteran. Read Bate’s letter to her fellow caregivers as she shares how she found support through CSP and how she’s reuniting with the woman she was before becoming a caregiver. Read more letters.
Connect with other Caregivers
The Caregiver Peer Support Mentoring (PSM) program was developed to strengthen relationships between caregivers, to provide an opportunity for networking and to empower caregivers to help one another. PSM provides an opportunity for caregivers to receive guidance and to share their experience, wisdom, skills, and passion with other caregivers. In addition to providing support, PSM also helps caregivers to establish relationships with each other and create a comfort zone for support. If you would like to participate, please contact your Caregiver Support Program (CSP) Teams.
Sign up to receive CSP emails!
Subscribe to CSP emails to receive the latest updates, including upcoming events, program initiatives, and special messages from CSP’s Executive Director, Colleen M. Richardson, Psy.D. Sign up here.
Need Help?
To assist you with enrolling in these programs, contact your local VA facility Caregiver Support Program (CSP) Teams, or call the VA Caregiver Support Line(CSL) at 1-855-260-3274.
CSL Expanded hours:
-Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET
-Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ETSubscribe to receive email updates and information about VA Caregiver Support Program services.