The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) has opened a toll-free National Caregiver Support Line for caregivers of veterans living with the effects of war, disability, chronic illness, or aging. The Support Line will be housed at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center in New York and will serve as a primary resource and referral center for the caregivers of our nation’s veterans. The Support Line will be answered by VA staff members who are licensed clinical social workers. The staff at the Support Line will be able to provide callers with information about the VA and community caregiver support resources and “warm” referrals to Caregiver Support Coordinators located in every VA Medical Center, with emotional support being stressed as an integral part of the Support Line service. Staff at the Support Line will also be able to help caregivers with inquiries about veteran’s benefits.
The National Caregiver Support Line was launched February 1, 2011 and will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 11:00 pm (EST) and from10:30 am through 6:00 pm (EST) on Saturdays. The toll-free number is 1-800-260-3274. For more information about the VA’s National Caregiver Support Line, click here.
