For more than 16 years, Vicki has been the primary caregiver for her 77-year-old husband, an Air Force Veteran living with dementia, congestive heart failure and recurring blood clots. As his physical and mental health declined, Vicki became more and more stressed, tired and isolated. Like many caregivers, she struggled to keep going.
“I managed caregiving for my husband on my own for a long time,” Vicki shared. “However, as his cognitive and physical abilities deteriorated, he became more angry, agitated and helpless. I was emotionally and physically exhausted. My own health was suffering. In desperation, I dug around on Google, looking for support for caregivers of Veterans and found Building Better Caregivers.”
Building Better Caregivers (BBC) is a free, online, VA program designed specifically for caregivers of Veterans living with dementia, memory loss, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries or other serious health conditions. Vicki enrolled in BBC more than three years ago and has never looked back.
‘BBC changed my life’
“What a lifeline,” said Vicki. “BBC changed my life! I learned so many tools for understanding his condition, how to help him more successfully, but most of all I found out that I was not alone. Each week, I looked forward to hearing about other caregivers’ experiences. You cannot imagine how encouraging it is to think, ‘You, too?!’”
To enroll in BBC, the caregiver must meet criteria and be willing to participate in the Caregiver Support Program in either the Program of Comprehensive Assistance or Program of General Caregiver Support Services.
BBC is self-paced, offering weekly online workshops and lessons that caregivers can access at any time of the day or night. After completing the workshop, participants can join a supportive alumni community and tap additional resources.
“I applied for the program when I heard about it, and I joined a cohort of other caregivers with online lessons,” said Vicki. “Each week, we completed the lesson and interacted between caregivers and the staff at BBC. There are also alumni resources, which I appreciate so much.”
Benefits of BBC:
- Enhanced caregiving skills and confidence.
- Stronger sense of community and reduced feelings of isolation.
- Increased awareness of personal health and self-care needs.
Ready to Enroll?
Here’s how to get started:
- Be enrolled in Caregiver Support Program Services.
- Online: Visit online to enroll.
- By Phone: Call 1-844-516-1438 and choose option 1 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm PST).
- Through your local Caregiver Support Team.
About the Caregiver Support Program (CSP)
CSP promotes the health and well-being of Veterans’ caregivers through education, resources, support and services. Every VA facility has a CSP team that offers vital information to keep caregivers informed and supported. Visit CSP’s website or contact your local CSP team to learn more.
Topics in this story
Link Disclaimer
This page includes links to other websites outside our control and jurisdiction. VA is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of non-VA Web sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy or terms and conditions of those sites to fully understand what information is collected and how it is used.
More Stories
Tara Pipia, a Veteran of the Army National Guard, discovered the PAWS pilot program and found purpose and connection.
During the week of Valentines Day, VA honors Veterans by celebrating them during National Salute to Veteran Patients Week.
With the new year, you can make a difference by pledging to donate blood. It's a simple act that saves lives. VA supports blood drives nationwide.
Health & Awareness, a 501c3 veteran own organization is hosting our 14th Annual Family Caregiver Program, Saturday November 15th 1pm until 4pm. Is it possible to have speaker explain the resources available to veteran caregivers? Thanks in advance
How do I find a caregiver to perform simple tasks like taking to appointments and such. My aunt is in Flower Mound, TX and she took care of her husband, my uncle a Purple Heart Recipient and 100% rating with the VA before his passing in 2024. My aunt took care of him during his illness and cancer. I’m trying to find someone in the VA that can assist her now that my Uncle has passed. Can you assist in that?
Thank you!
I would love to be a part of BBC
Caregiver Support Program is a wonderful program… It helped me get thru some very difficult years. Would like to see caregiver survivor support after your veteran passes instead of being just dropped from the program.
Yes, this is what I am looking for also! caregiver survivor support after the veteran passes.
I am so grateful for all the information and care I received from the VA caregiving program. It helped me deal with my husband’s Parkinson’s and dementia. I often used the binder to reread, my caregiving team was amazing, and the website was also very helpful for information. Thank you to all that were here for my husband and me. Jill