FARMINGTON -- As people are living longer, more family members, whether they be spouses or children or others, are taking on the role of caregiver for a loved one. Davis County Aging Ser-vices provides a Family Caregiver Support Program to assist those involved. More information is available by calling 451-3377. Program coordinator Ruth Quintal notes that the program has been developed to provide support services including information and assistance, support groups, counseling, outreach, education and training.

Beyond that, an opportunity for respite and other home- and community-based services are available to help caregivers often stretched to the physical and mental limit, she says.

To be eligible for participation in the program, a caregiver must be responsible for providing or supervising a majority of a care-receiver's activities of daily living. The person receiving care must be over the age of 60 or the caregiver must be over 60 and providing care for someone with mental retardation or related developmental disabilities.

The caregiver also may be a grandparent or older individual caring for a relative child not more than 18 years old.

Preference is given to low-income individuals and the caregiver and receiver must both live in Davis County.

Case management respite services can be provided for no more than 12 consecutive months and can't cost more than $1,500 for that period.

Caregiver support is one of many services provided by Aging Services. Programs offered include: outreach program, three senior activity centers, home and community-based alternatives program, and Medicaid aging waiver.

Others are home delivered meals (meals on wheels), senior companion, ombudsman, medical transportation and transportation to the centers, health insurance information, foster grandparent, senior employment, volunteer opportunities, and weatherization.

tbusselberg@davisclipper.com