NYSOFA expands TCARE Initiative, provides crucial support for caregivers statewide

*Albany, NY – November 28, 2023* — In a significant stride toward enhancing caregiver support, the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) announced the expansion of its groundbreaking Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral (TCARE) evidence-based program. Originating as a successful pilot, TCARE is now a statewide initiative poised to reach more than 150 trained specialists across New York State.

TCARE, which stands for Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral, offers a comprehensive approach to caregiver support, encompassing assessment, intervention, and personalized assistance. The program initiates with a dynamic screening tool and a personalized evaluation conducted by a care manager, specifically tailored for individuals providing uncompensated care to loved ones.

Addressing critical aspects such as identity, stress, and the balance between caregiving and personal life objectives, the TCARE assessment captures the holistic impact on the caregiver’s relationship. This expansion comes at a crucial time, with over one in five Americans serving as caregivers. In New York State alone, approximately 4.1 million people take on informal caregiving roles, facing physical, emotional, psychological, and financial strains.

NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen emphasized the importance of TCARE in supporting caregivers, stating, “Sixty-one percent of caregivers worry about caring for a family member, friend, or neighbor. They face high levels of stress that have an impact on health, mental health, and quality of life. Our partnership with TCARE is an important component of a multi-pronged strategy to help caregivers measure and understand the severity of their caregiving role and connect to the right services.”

TCARE CEO Ali Ahmadi echoed this sentiment, saying, “TCARE’s expansion across New York State is a reflection of growing acknowledgment about the positive impact of NYSOFA’s caregiver programs. This partnership is actively contributing to the goal of aging in place for those in need of care.”

The TCARE initiative has demonstrated tangible outcomes, reducing stress and depression for family caregivers. By supporting the network of informal caregivers, TCARE also promotes and extends the ability for individuals to age in place.

For more information about TCARE and its impactful caregiver support platform, interested parties can visit TCARE’s website.

NYSOFA continuously works toward helping the state’s 4.6 million older adults be as independent as possible for as long as possible. Through advocacy, development, and delivery of person-centered, consumer-oriented, and cost-effective policies, programs, and services, NYSOFA empowers older adults and their families. Stay connected by visiting the NYSOFA Facebook page, following @NYSAGING on Twitter, or visiting aging.ny.gov.

TCARE is an award-winning, evidence-based caregiver risk management platform designed to prevent caregiver burnout. With over 15 years of caregiver insights, advanced data analytics, and high-touch human support, TCARE identifies, mitigates, and continuously monitors caregiver burnout risk. TCARE partners with managed care organizations (MCOs), long-term care (LTC) insurance providers, employers, and other group entities to deliver clinically proven caregiver support. For public sector customers, TCARE licenses its patented platform to caregiver programs in State government Units on Aging, Native American tribes, and social service agencies.