Twelve participants from across Idaho took part in the two-day leader training for the Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC) program, ensuring that family caregivers in the Gem State have access to the support they need to navigate the challenges of caring for a loved one.
PTC is an evidence-based workshop series designed to help unpaid caregivers manage the stress of providing care for a family member, friend, or neighbor with a chronic health condition. Originally developed for caregivers of older adults, the PTC curriculum has recently been expanded to include caregivers of children with special needs.
Idaho now has PTC leaders embedded in throughout the State in the Area Agencies on Aging and Community Action Partnership agencies in Lewiston, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello; Syringa Hospital and Clinic in Grangeville; Strengthening Villages in Coeur d’Alene; Terry Reilly Health Services in Nampa; and Jannus, Inc., in Boise.
The training, coordinated by the Idaho Caregiver Alliance, was funded by a National Lifespan Respite grant administered by the Idaho Commission on Aging in partnership with the Center for the Study on Aging at Boise State University. The PTC initiative is one of the projects of the Alliance and is designed to improve access to quality support and resources to family caregivers. For more information about the Alliance visit, https://www.boisestate.edu/csa/idaho-caregiver-alliance/.