Ways to Save for Caregivers

A woman happily shopping at a grocery store

These days, we’re all looking for ways to cut costs and stretch our dollars further. Here are practical, everyday tips to help you and your family save money and make the most of every dollar.

1. Buy in Bulk

For household items and pantry staples, buying in bulk reduces the cost per item, helping to save money in the long run. Most price tags will have a “cost per unit” or cost per weight price in the top left corner that can help you compare bulk prices.

Discount saving stores such as Costco, BJ’s, and Sam’s Club are great for stocking up on essentials at a low price. In particular, Sam’s Club offers club membership discounts for adults 50 years and older.

Running out of closet space for stocking up? Reach out to local family or neighbors to explore buying and splitting bulk purchases. That way, everyone can save money together.

2. Seasonal Saving

Prices often drop when demand is low. So, buying items off-season can lead to big saving.

Take winter clothing, for example: the best time to buy a warm coat is in February or March, when stores are clearing out their winter stock to make space for new spring items. Investing in a high-quality winter coat or jacket during an end-of-season or clearance sale can save you time and effort come next winter.

3. Check Sale Periods

Major holidays often bring big savings, especially on large household purchases. While the most well-known sales happen around the end of the year, many other holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, or Presidents’ Day—also offer great deals. If you’re planning a major purchase, consider holding off until the next holiday sale to get the best value.

Beyond holidays, also check for special sales periods such as Amazon Prime Day in July and Massachusetts’ Tax-Free Weekend in August.

4. Insulate Windows and Doors

AC and heating bills can get expensive in the peaks of summer and winter. Window curtains and door draft blockers can reduce the draftiness of your home, keeping the AC inside and reducing your bill.

During major heat emergencies, consider visiting a free cooling center at your local Boston Center for Youth & Families (BCYF). Find local cooling resources hosted by the City of Boston here.

5. Utility Mindfulness

Water and electricity bills can make up a huge chunk of monthly expenses. Though it can be tough to save big on these bills, little everyday actions can help lower them, such as:

Turning off the tap when brushing your teeth
Turning off appliances when leaving the room
Combining laundry and dish loads with other housemates
Being mindful of peak hours for electricity

Black family gathered around a grandmother reading to them.

Black older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers face unique challenges in finding high-quality, culturally-competent supports. In honor of Black History Month, we explore resources to help Black families age in place and celebrate their heritage.

Resources for Black Caregivers and Older Adults

Did you know that…

More than one in five Black caregivers pay for care-related expenses,
One in three African American and Black caregivers report being more isolated and strained due to caregiving,
And that one in four Black caregivers report that they have no family, friends, or family to help them with caregiving duties?

Together, these paint a distressing picture of how urgently Black and African American caregivers need support. From navigating the healthcare industry to finding qualified and culturally-competent services, Black caregivers face unique challenges that can worsen over time.

Thankfully, there are plenty of resources available to help African American and Black caregivers. Let’s explore some programs and organizations that could provide much-needed support:

1) Caregiving While Black (CWB) Course

Co-produced by Black caregivers, persons living with dementia, and healthcare professionals from Emory University, CWB is an online education course tailored for Black and African American caregivers of a person living with dementia.

The CWB course addresses the disparities that Black and African American families face when accessing healthcare and caregiving resources. The course is built around finding solutions and answers to three main themes:

To learn more and sign up for the CWB course, visit their website here.

2) Programs by the Roxbury Presbyterian Church

For Boston locals, the events and opportunities from the Roxbury Presbyterian Church can help you work through difficult topics.

Some of these programs include:

Men’s trauma recovery
Racism and healing
Community trauma healing
Loss, grief, and hope through words, poetry, and song
A support group for mothers who lost children

For Black and African American Roxbury residents, these programs are a unique opportunity to connect with others who have experienced challenges in life.

The mission of the Roxbury Presbyterian Church is to create and implement educational and economic development programs for the Roxbury community. Programs are secular and open to all regardless of religious affiliation.

For a full list of programming, please visit the RPC’s website here.

3) Caregiver Solutions Program

According to Generations, Black caregivers felt that their race and ethnicity contributed to limited access to education and resources for healthcare and caregivers support.

That’s why Boston Senior Home Care’s Caregiver Solutions program is here to provide equitable and individualized resources for Black caregivers. Our skilled caregiver advisors are here to listen to your personal story and connect you to trustworthy supports for your needs.

The Caregiver Solutions Program can provide referrals and access to:

Financial assistance
Adult Day Health programs
Mental health counseling services
Guardianship and estate planning specialists
In-home care services
Support groups
Technology and security monitoring services

Through on-demand language line technology, our information and referral specialists can assist caregivers and families speaking languages such as Spanish, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and more. To connect with an expert and learn about culturally-aware caregiver resources, call us at 617-292-6211.

4) The National Caucus and Center on Black Aging (NCBA)

If you’re looking for resources for Black older adults outside of Massachusetts, the NCBA is a go-to point of contact. The NCBA is the leading national organization on issues impacting African American and low-income minority older adults.

The NCBA provides culturally-aware programs and services to help Black older adults gain employment, access healthcare services, and find affordable housing. To view a full list of their resources and programs, visit their website here.

5) Caribbean Foundation of Boston

For Bostonians of Afro-Caribbean heritage, the Caribbean Foundation of Boston provides culturally-aware services to the older adults and physically challenged people of Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury.

The Caribbean Foundation of Boston provides the following services:

Home health aides
Friendly visitor program
Urban community homemaking

The goal of the Caribbean Foundation of Boston is to promote a lifestyle of independence and supportive care so that people can remain at home. To learn more, please contact the Caribbean Foundation of Boston at 617-445-1228.

Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in Boston

Beyond support for everyday caregiving and aging needs, let’s explore exciting ways you and your loved ones can celebrate Black History Month in Boston this year.

1) Black Veterans Appreciation Luncheon

On February 22nd, the City of Boston is hosting a free luncheon to honor the contributions and sacrifices of Black Veterans. The event will be held at Boston City Hall from 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM. To learn more and RSVP, contact the City of Boston Veterans Services Department at [email protected], or call 617-241-8387.

2) Museum of African American History

As the birthplace of Boston’s Abolitionist Movement, the Museum of African American History has several exciting exhibits and activities planned throughout February. Visit their website to view upcoming events featuring the legacies of heroes such as Frederick Douglas, Sojourner Truth, and William Cooper Nell.

3) Age Strong’s Black Heritage Celebration

The Boston Age Strong Commission is hosting their annual Black Heritage Celebration on Friday, February 28th. This luncheon event is a wonderful way to gather and celebrate Black community leaders.

To RSVP or learn more, please contact Nuria Silva at 617-635-3979 or email [email protected]. Transportation may be arranged for parties of more than 10 people.

Boston Senior Home Care and the Caregiver Solutions program remain dedicated to supporting caregivers, older adults, and people with disabilities of all races and ethnic backgrounds. We’re here to be a resource for African American families to help them age with health and pride.

To speak with a qualified information and referral specialist about finding culturally-aware support for you and your loved one, contact us at 617-292-6211.

A grandparent and grandchild playing a game together.

In honor of National Caregivers Day on the 21st of this month, let’s explore a type of caregiver you may not have heard about, kinship caregivers. Though they might be rarer, kinship caregivers play an important role in families.

What Is a Kinship Caregiver?

A kinship caregiver is a caregiver that isn’t directly related to the child they’re caring for. They might be an aunt, uncle, grandparent, or cousin to a child of a relative. Kinship caregivers can also include close family friends, religious community members, or schoolteachers who are like family to the child. Another word for kinship caregivers is “relative caregivers.”

According to data from grandfamilies.org, more than 114,000 children in Massachusetts live in homes where a relative is the head of household. Family members or other kin often step in as caregivers due to circumstances including parental substance use, incarceration, and mental health challenges.

What’s the Difference Between Kinship Caregivers and Family Caregivers?

Another term you might have heard is a “family caregiver.” Though family caregivers can be anyone caring for an older adult or person with a disability or illness, kinship caregivers specifically refer to non-direct relatives caring for a child.

As an example, while a person caring for their aging parent with a disability would be a family caregiver, they wouldn’t be a kinship caregiver. Meanwhile, a godparent caring for a child would be a kinship caregiver, but not a family caregiver. An uncle caring for a nephew with a disability would be both a family caregiver and a kinship caregiver.

Family caregivers and kinship caregivers are equally important. Together, they ensure that no family member is left behind.

Identifying kinship caregivers helps us recognize the unique challenges that might come from being an indirect relative of a care recipient. For example, kinship caregivers might face additional challenges gaining legal custody of a child in their care.

What Supports Are There for Kinship Caregivers?

Are you a kinship caregiver in need of support? Don’t worry – there are plenty of government and local resources available to help you navigate all sorts of caregiving challenges. Let’s take a look at the top three supports for kinship caregivers in Massachusetts.

1) Kinship Navigator

Kinship Navigator is a state-run referral-based support program that assists kinship caregivers in accessing services that support the stability and permanency for children. They act as a point of contact to help kinship caregivers identify their needs and direct them to the appropriate state departments or community resource.

The Kinship Navigator program supports anyone providing kinship care, including:

Kinship foster and guardianship parents caring for children involved with the Department of Children and Families (DCF)
Guardians of a minor via Juvenile or Probate and Family Court
Informal caregiver arrangements and caregiver affidavits

Kinship Navigator can help kinship caregivers find:

Financial assistance
Food and nutrition assistance
School or childcare
Mental health and counseling providers
MassHealth

Kinship Navigator hosts live drop-in Zoom sessions from 9 AM to 12 PM Mondays through Fridays. To learn more, visit their website here.

2) Child Welfare Information Gateway

The Child Welfare Information Gateway is an information website run by the Children’s Bureau of the government. For new kinship caregivers, their webpage contains many helpful fact sheets on topics such as:

Navigating the child welfare system
How to collaborate with relatives to promote reunification
Background checks
Supports for Black kinship caregivers

3) The Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

For kinship caregivers raising grandchildren, the Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is a government-run resource for Massachusetts residents on issues affecting kinship caregivers.

The Commission provides useful resources to help grandparents find:

Experienced legal services
Financial tips
Support Services

To learn more, visit the Commission’s website here.

4) KINnections Program

Boston Senior Home Care has assumed management of the KINnections program, which serves as a hub for information and resources for kinship caregivers.

Currently, the KINnections Program runs two support groups: one virtual, and one in person. These support groups share resources and recommendations such as:

Caregiver resources and information
Respite care supports
Caregiver education programs

If you’re a kinship caregiver or grandparent raising a grandchild, join our support groups to share experiences, learn about resources, and form lasting bonds. Email [email protected] to learn more or sign up.

There are a lot of resources for kinship caregivers, and it can be confusing to figure out which supports are best for your unique situation. We’re here to help you navigate kinship caregiver supports. Reach out to us at 617-292-6211 to find the best programs, resources, and information to help you and your family thrive.

ARL partnership with Boston Senior Home Care expands to seven locations

This article was originally published on the Animal Rescue Leagues’ website, located here.

This past week, the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Wellness Waggin’ made a stop at a Dorchester apartment development to provide more than a dozen pet owners with low-cost pet wellness services.

The newest stop expands ARL’s growing list of senior housing developments the organization visits regularly through an ongoing partnership with Boston Senior Home Care.

For many pet owners in Boston, accessibility to services is a major barrier to maintaining overall pet health, however, ARL’s Wellness Waggin’ is just one program that bring services directly to where they’re needed most, to help pet overcome these types of barriers.

Parking outside the Franklin Field Elderly Community Center, more than a dozen pet owners living in the Franklin Field apartments were able to easily take advantage of the low-cost, high-quality services the Wellness Waggin’ provides.

*The Wellness Waggin’ parked outside of Franklin Field Apartments.*

For 10 dollars, pets receive a brief veterinary exam, rabies and distemper vaccines, flea treatment and microchip, if needed.

These services would cost hundreds in a traditional veterinary clinic setting.

This newest stop for the Wellness Waggin’ is part of an ongoing partnership with Boston Senior Home Care, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting older adults, individuals with disabilities, and families throughout Greater Boston, with social services and resources to live safely and independently.

ARL began its partnership with the organization in 2018, and now has seven sites throughout neighborhoods in Boston to provide senior pet owners with basic services and pet supplies.

These wellness events offer a wonderful opportunity for ARL to connect with senior pet owners in Boston, and to provide services that are accessible just steps from their door.