Comprehensive Support for
Every Caregiving Journey
The Caregiver Health & Wellness Alliance offers a continuum of evidence-based programs designed to meet caregivers wherever they are in their journey — from early prevention and education through crisis stabilization and long-term support planning. All core services are provided free of charge or on an income-based sliding scale, funded through grants, private donations, and community partnerships.
Wellness Coaching & Care Navigation
Our flagship individual support program pairs each caregiver with a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) who understands the unique physiological and psychological toll of sustained caregiving. Through structured one-on-one sessions held weekly or biweekly, your coach guides you through a comprehensive wellness assessment and collaboratively builds a personalized plan addressing the domains most critical to your sustained capacity.
Sessions cover evidence-based strategies for sleep restoration, anti-inflammatory nutrition when cooking time is scarce, micro-movement protocols that fit into caregiving schedules, cognitive behavioral techniques for anticipatory grief, boundary-setting with family members and medical providers, and practical self-advocacy when navigating Oregon Health Plan services, Medicare, and community resources.
Coaching is delivered in-person at our Portland office, via secure HIPAA-compliant telehealth, or through a hybrid model. Each engagement begins with a complimentary 30-minute intake consultation to ensure appropriate fit and to initiate any urgent referrals. Caregivers managing dementia, ALS, traumatic brain injury, or pediatric complex medical needs receive priority scheduling.
Program Details
In-person, telehealth, or hybrid • 45-minute sessions
Weekly or biweekly • 12-session standard engagement
Free for qualifying caregivers • Sliding scale $0–$45/session
Any unpaid family caregiver in Oregon providing regular assistance to an adult or child with a chronic condition, disability, or aging-related need
Facilitated Caregiver Support Groups
Isolation is one of the most destructive aspects of long-term caregiving. Our clinician-facilitated support groups create structured, confidential spaces where caregivers learn from each other, practice coping strategies in real time, and develop lasting bonds with people who truly understand the daily reality of their lives.
General Caregiver Circle
Open to all family caregivers regardless of diagnosis or relationship. Facilitated by a licensed clinical social worker using structured psychoeducational modules covering stress physiology, compassion fatigue, effective communication with medical teams, and grief processing. Meets weekly with rolling enrollment so you can join at any time.
Tuesdays, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM • In-Person & Zoom
Memory Care & Dementia
Specifically designed for caregivers managing Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal degeneration. Covers behavioral symptom management, wandering safety protocols, sundowning strategies, legal planning for cognitive decline, and transitioning to memory care facilities when home care is no longer safe.
Wednesdays, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM • In-Person & Zoom
Young Adult Caregivers (18–35)
An estimated 5.4 million Americans aged 18 to 34 serve as unpaid caregivers, often sacrificing education, careers, and social development. This group addresses the unique challenges of caregiving during formative life stages: identity formation, relationship building, career planning, financial literacy, and navigating the guilt of wanting a life outside caregiving.
Thursdays, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM • Zoom Only
All support groups are free of charge. No registration required for your first visit. Childcare available upon request for Tuesday and Wednesday groups.
Professional Respite Care Coordination
Respite care — temporary relief for primary caregivers — is not a luxury; it is a medical necessity documented in peer-reviewed caregiver health literature. Regular respite reduces caregiver depression by 34%, delays nursing home placement by an average of 18 months, and is consistently associated with improved care quality for the care recipient.
Our respite coordination team maintains a vetted network of over 120 in-home care providers, adult day health programs, and short-term residential facilities across the Portland metro area. Every provider undergoes comprehensive background checks, reference verification, and ongoing performance monitoring. We handle scheduling, provider matching based on diagnosis-specific training, and billing coordination with Medicaid, long-term care insurance, and grant-funded subsidy programs.
Use Our Respite Cost Estimator →Respite Options We Coordinate
Trained companions provide supervision, conversation, meal preparation, and light housekeeping while you step away for errands, appointments, or rest.
Certified nursing assistants assist with bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility transfers, and medication reminders for care recipients with higher-acuity needs.
Structured full-day programs offering socialization, therapeutic activities, meals, and health monitoring at licensed community facilities.
Overnight and multi-day stays at partner assisted living and memory care facilities for planned vacations or emergency caregiver situations.
Monthly Wellness Workshops
Our expert-led workshops equip caregivers with practical tools and evidence-based knowledge they can apply immediately. Each session combines clinical education with hands-on skill building in a supportive group setting.
Sleep Restoration for Caregivers
Cognitive behavioral insomnia techniques adapted for caregivers who must remain alert at night. Covers sleep hygiene, stimulus control, sleep restriction therapy modifications, and napping strategies that restore energy without disrupting circadian rhythm.
Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition on a Budget
Practical meal planning strategies for caregivers who are time-starved and often cooking for someone with dietary restrictions. Batch cooking techniques, inflammation-reducing food swaps, and 15-minute meals that support both caregiver and care recipient health.
Legal & Financial Planning Essentials
Presented by elder law attorneys and certified financial planners, this workshop covers power of attorney, advance directives, Medicaid spend-down strategies, ABLE accounts, special needs trusts, and protecting caregiver assets during long-term care planning.
Body Mechanics & Injury Prevention
Licensed physical therapists demonstrate safe lifting and transfer techniques, ergonomic home modifications, and targeted strengthening exercises for the back, shoulders, and core — the muscle groups most vulnerable to caregiver strain injuries.
Workshops are held the first and third Saturday of each month, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, at our Portland office. Free of charge. Light refreshments provided. Zoom option available for all sessions.
Crisis Intervention & Emergency Respite
Caregiving emergencies happen without warning: a caregiver's own medical crisis, a sudden behavioral escalation from the care recipient, the death of a co-caregiver, or a complete emotional breakdown after months of accumulated strain. Our crisis intervention team provides same-day response for caregivers in acute distress, including emergency respite placement within 24 to 48 hours, immediate mental health referrals, and safety planning for both caregiver and care recipient.
If you are a caregiver in crisis, please call our direct line at (503) 555-0147, extension 3, during business hours, or the Oregon Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 after hours. You are not alone, and asking for help is the strongest thing you can do for both yourself and the person you care for.
Youth & Young Adult Caregiver Initiative
An often-invisible population, young caregivers aged 8 to 35 shoulder responsibilities that most adults would find overwhelming. They manage medications, handle insurance paperwork, perform physical care tasks, and serve as emotional anchors for their families — all while trying to attend school, build careers, and develop their own identities. Our Youth Caregiver Initiative provides age-appropriate support, mentorship, educational advocacy, and connection to a peer community that understands their dual lives.
Program components include academic accommodation advocacy with school counselors, scholarship referrals for caregiving students, age-appropriate psychoeducation about illness and disability, recreational outings that provide social normalization, and a dedicated online community forum moderated by licensed youth counselors.
Initiative Highlights
8–17 (Youth Track) and 18–35 (Young Adult Track)
1-on-1 pairing with trained adult mentors who have lived caregiving experience
504/IEP advocacy, homework help, scholarship application assistance
Entirely free • Funded by Multnomah County and private grants
Ready to Take the First Step?
Contact us for a free, confidential consultation. Our intake team will help you identify the right combination of programs and services for your unique situation.