Veterans Resources

Caregiving for a veteran can involve unique challenges related to physical injuries, PTSD, dementia, chronic illness, mental health concerns, and navigating military or VA systems. In Wisconsin, available programs and services may differ depending on whether a veteran is caring for a civilian loved one, a civilian is caring for a veteran, or both individuals are veterans.

This page provides national, state, and local resources for veteran caregivers, including information on benefits, caregiver support programs, mental health resources, respite care, financial assistance, and connections to organizations that understand the unique experiences of military and veteran families.

Civilians Caring for Veterans

You are not a veteran, but you are caring for one.

Eligible for VA caregiver supports

DAV Caregiver Support Program: Support and resources for family members and loved ones caring for veterans.
Military OneSource: Counseling, caregiver support, and service navigation.
National Veterans Financial Resource Center (FINVET): Financial tools and resources for veterans and their families.
VA Caregiver Support Program: Education, training, and potential benefits for caregivers of eligible veterans.
Wisconsin Veteran Family & Caregiver Support Group Facebook: This statewide resource group shares assistance, support opportunities, and events for military veteran families and their family caregivers (spouse, child, parent, sibling, etc.)

Veterans Caring for Veterans

You are a veteran caring for another veteran.

May be eligible for VA caregiver supports (depends on the care recipient)

Military OneSource: Counseling, caregiver support, and service navigation.
My Wisconsin Vets: Connects veterans and their families to Wisconsin-based resources
National Veterans Financial Resource Center (FINVET): Financial tools and resources for veterans and their families.
VA Caregiver Support Program: Education, training, and potential benefits for caregivers of eligible veterans.
Wisconsin Veteran Family & Caregiver Support Group Facebook: This statewide resource group shares assistance, support opportunities, and events for military veteran families and their family caregivers (spouse, child, parent, sibling, etc.)

Veterans Caring for Civilians

You are a veteran caring for someone who is not a veteran.

VA caregiver benefits do not apply in this situation however there are still caregiver supports for you.

I am an adult (18+) with a disability or supporting an adult with a disability:

Family Care
- Provides long-term care services and supports for adults with disabilities and older adults.
IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct)
- A self-directed long-term care program allowing participants to manage their own supports and services.

I am caring for an older adult (60+) or someone with dementia:

You may want to explore:

Alzheimer’s Family Caregiver Support Program (AFCSP)
- Provides support for caregivers of individuals with irreversible dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions.
National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)
- Supports caregivers of:
  - Adults age 60+
  - Individuals with Alzheimer’s or other dementias (any age)
  - Grandparents/relatives age 55+ caring for children under 18

Wisconsin Family and Caregiver Support Alliance (WFACSA), Maintained by the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc.

This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $490,000 with 75 percentage funded by ACL/HHS and $142,966 and 25 percentage funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.