An Online Workshop for Caregivers of Veterans
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a six-week online workshop at no-cost, called Building Better Caregivers™, for family caregivers of veterans. This comprehensive online workshop addresses specific needs of caregivers who care for Veterans with dementia, traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, or any other serious injury or illness.
The program, developed at Stanford University, has been recognized for its ability to reduce stress and depression, as well as increase the overall well-being of caregivers. It consists of a highly-interactive, online small-group workshop where 20-25 family caregivers complete the online workshop together. It’s facilitated by two trained moderators, one or both of whom are caregivers. Participants log on for two hours each week to review lessons, exchange ideas with others and access tools.
“VA is committed to providing caregivers with the support they need to help those who live with scars borne in battle in defense of our nation’s freedom,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We are especially pleased to be working with the National Council on Aging which has worked with multiple generations of Veterans and is uniquely qualified to provide this support to caregivers of Veterans from all eras.”
Caregivers of Veterans interested in participating in Building Better Caregivers™ should contact a local Caregiver Support Coordinator, who can provide additional information and referral to the program. You can do so by visiting http://www.caregiver.va.gov/and entering your ZIP code in the ZIP code finder.
Are you a veteran, a veteran’s spouse, or a family caregiver for a veteran? As an Accredited Attorney with the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, I understand both the Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit and the Medicaid program and the interaction between both benefit programs. We work with veterans and their spouses to evaluate whether they qualify for The Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit and/or Medicaid, and we deal with all the paperwork. Learn more at http://www.VirginiaElderLaw.com and call us at our Virginia Elder Law Fairfax office at 703-691-1888 or at our Virginia Elder Law Fredericksburg office at 540-479-1435 to make an appointment for a no-cost consultation.