The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) announces the expansion of its groundbreaking Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral (TCARE) evidence-based program from a successful pilot to a statewide initiative that is set to reach more than 150 trained TCARE specialists across New York State.

TCARE provides assessment, intervention, and support for caregivers. It begins with a dynamic screening tool and a personalized evaluation conducted by a care manager to individuals providing uncompensated care to someone else, such as family members or other loved ones. This assessment delves into critical areas such as identity, stress, depression, and the delicate balance between caregiving and life objectives, capturing the impact on the caregiver's relationship. The evaluation also highlights the positive, uplifting aspects of their caregiving journey.

With more than one in five Americans serving as caregivers, the expansion of TCARE comes at a crucial time. When a caregiver feels overwhelmed and is unable to continue providing day-to-day care to a loved one, the care recipient is at risk for being admitted to a nursing home or other facility. In fact, caregiver strain is among the top reasons for individuals being admitted to facilities. In New York State alone, approximately 4.1 million people take on informal caregiving roles, facing physical, emotional, psychological, and financial strains. TCARE has proven outcomes reducing stress and depression for family caregivers. It also promotes and extends the ability for persons to age in place by supporting the network of people – known as informal caregivers – who provide care to them.

NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen said, “What initially started as a pilot project to assess the feasibility of implementing TCARE has now evolved into a comprehensive program, addressing the needs of the growing number of individuals who provide uncompensated care to someone else. These individuals are called informal caregivers and they provide the bulk of social services, long term care and health care follow up in this country. 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 said, "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 notable ten-fold growth within New York represents a significant leap toward fostering a supportive environment for caregivers, underscoring the positive change this partnership brings to the lives of countless families."

For more information about TCARE and its impactful caregiver support platform, please visit https://www.tcare.ai/.

About the New York State Office for the Aging

The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) continuously works to help 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 that support and empower older adults and their families, in partnership with the network of public and private organizations that serve them. Stay connected—visit the NYSOFA Facebook page; follow @NYSAGING on Twitter; or visit aging.ny.gov.

About TCARE

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.