Caregiver Support Program

Caring for Someone? You Are Not Alone.

If you saw this on television and wondered whether it was talking about you, it was. Call 309-674-2071 and we will help you work out where to start.

Services Overview

Family caregivers play a vital role in supporting older adults, but caregiving can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Our Information for Caregivers service provides educational materials and guidance on managing caregiving responsibilities effectively.

For those in need of personalized support, our Caregiver Counseling Services offer one-on-one sessions with professionals who help address stress, burnout, and emotional challenges. We also provide Access Assistance, helping caregivers connect with local resources, financial support programs, and respite care options.

Additionally, our Respite Services offer temporary relief for caregivers, allowing them to take breaks while ensuring their loved ones receive quality care. Whether through in-home respite care or adult day programs, we help caregivers maintain their own well-being while continuing to support their family members.

Age Central also implements TCARE® (Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral), an evidence-based program designed to reduce caregiver burnout through individualized assessments and customized care plans. TCARE helps identify the underlying sources of stress and provides data-driven strategies to support both the caregiver and care recipient.

We also support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) through dedicated events and resources that recognize and address the unique challenges faced by older adult caregivers raising young family members. Our Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program offers respite, legal aid, counseling and support groups to assist grandparents in their caregiving responsibilities.

Age Central also delivers the Medicare-funded Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) program, which provides comprehensive care coordination and enhanced support for family caregivers of individuals living with dementia. Through GUIDE, caregivers receive ongoing education, care navigation, respite support, and 24/7 clinical access—helping reduce stress, improve stability, and support families throughout the dementia journey.

Beginning in 2026, Age Central is partnering with Trualta to expand the education and support available to family caregivers across our service area. The Trualta Caregiver Support Program is funded in part by grant funding from Impact Central Illinois.

Where to Start: A Caregiver Assessment

Most people contact us because something specific has gone wrong, and they are not sure what they are entitled to or what to ask for. You do not need to know. That is what the assessment is for.

Age Central uses TCARE®, an evidence-based caregiver assessment, as the entry point to caregiver services. It is a structured conversation with one of our caregiver specialists about what you are actually managing, what is wearing you down, and what would make the biggest difference right now.

What comes out of it is a needs-based care plan: a written plan naming the specific supports you qualify for and the order to use them in. The plan is built around your situation rather than a standard package, and it can be revisited as things change.

What the assessment covers

• The care you are providing and how much time it takes
• The strain it is placing on you, your health, your work and your family
• What you have already tried, and what has and has not helped
• The supports you qualify for that you may not know exist

What Title III-E can provide

Age Central’s caregiver services are funded through Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Once your care plan is in place, it can draw on:

• Information and assistance — help finding services and understanding what you qualify for
• Caregiver counseling — confidential one-to-one support
• Respite — paid relief so you can rest, work, or handle your own appointments, delivered through a network of respite vendors across our six counties
• Supplemental services — targeted goods and services that fill gaps a care plan identifies
• Support groups and training — connection with other caregivers and practical skills

There is no income test for Title III-E caregiver services. Call 309-674-2071 to start.

About Trualta

Trualta is an online learning and support platform built specifically for family caregivers, and it is free to eligible caregivers through Age Central. If you are caring for an older adult at home, it gives you somewhere to turn at the moment you need it, not at the next scheduled class.

Inside, caregivers get:

• A library of short, practical lessons that build real caregiving skills at your own pace
• Weekly live events where caregivers learn together and share what has actually worked
• Discussion forums open around the clock, so you can ask a question at two in the morning and hear back from people who have been where you are

You do not need to be enrolled in another Age Central program to use it, and there is no cost. If you are not sure whether you qualify, call 309-674-2071 and we will check for you.

About TCARE®

TCARE® (Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral) is an evidence-based caregiver assessment and care planning system used by aging agencies across the country. It was designed to identify caregiver strain early and match each caregiver to the supports most likely to help them, rather than offering everyone the same list. Age Central uses TCARE as the starting point for caregiver services.

You can start the TCARE screener yourself, online, whenever it suits you. It asks for your contact details and some questions about your caregiving situation so we can follow up with the right support. Most people finish it in a few minutes.

Prefer to talk to a person first? Call 309-674-2071 and we will walk through it with you.

Other Programs That May Help

• GUIDE Dementia Care Program — if the person you care for has dementia, GUIDE pairs your family with a dedicated care navigator and provides care coordination, caregiver support and respite at no cost to eligible Medicare beneficiaries.
• Veteran-Directed Care — eligible Veterans can direct their own in-home support through a flexible monthly budget funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, choosing their own caregivers and setting their own schedules.
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren — respite, legal assistance, counseling and support groups for grandparents and other older relatives raising a child.