Respite for Rural Family Caregivers: Overcoming the Challenges

Family caregivers living in rural and frontier areas face unique challenges to accessing supports, including respite, regardless of the age or condition of the care recipient. Family caregiving can be stressful, but when faced with fewer job opportunities and financial resources, limited access to health and social services, transportation barriers and the geographic isolation that predominate in many rural areas, family caregivers may experience added stressors. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present a clear picture of care recipients and their caregivers who live in rural and frontier areas and to offer suggestions to assist family caregivers, respite providers and administrators, and Lifespan Respite grantees in finding or developing respite resources.