Caregiver Support Programs in Colorado: Training, Respite, and Financial Help

Support Exists — But Nobody Tells You About It

Colorado funds more caregiver support programs than most states, yet most family caregivers never access them. A 2026 AARP survey found that the average unpaid family caregiver spends 24 hours per week on care tasks while working a job. They rarely have time to research what's available, and the programs are scattered across state agencies, regional AAAs, and nonprofits with no central directory.

Here's a consolidated map of every major caregiver support program in Colorado, organized by what it actually does for you.

Training and Education Programs

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an evidence-based training program offered through Colorado's Area Agencies on Aging and local community organizations. It is designed for family caregivers; contact your regional AAA for the current format, schedule, and cost.

Contact your regional AAA to find the next available session. DRCOG (Denver metro) provides caregiver-services information on its website.

Savvy Caregiver is a separate program focused specifically on dementia care. Check local Alzheimer's Association or aging-network listings for current offerings and cost.

CDASS training is part of setting up the Consumer Directed Attendant Support Services model. Before a family caregiver can begin paid work, the senior or their authorized representative completes the program's required training and onboarding.

Respite Care

Respite care provides temporary relief — someone else covers care duties so you can rest, handle personal obligations, or just take a break.

National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP): Funded under Title III-E of the Older Americans Act and administered through regional AAAs, this program provides respite vouchers to family caregivers of adults aged 60 and older. DRCOG's program offers vouchers covering up to 32 hours of in-home respite care, usable within 90 days of issuance.

Eligibility is straightforward: you must be providing unpaid care to someone aged 60 or older, and you must live in the AAA's service area. There's no income test, though programs prioritize caregivers with the greatest social and economic need.

EBD waiver respite: If your parent is enrolled in the EBD waiver, respite is a covered benefit. The CMA case manager can authorize in-home or facility-based respite hours as part of the person-centered support plan.

Colorado Respite Coalition: This statewide network connects families with local respite providers and can help identify programs with current availability. They maintain a searchable database of respite options by county and care type.

Financial Support and Paid Caregiving

CDASS and IHSS: Colorado is one of the states that allows family members — including spouses and adult children — to be paid for providing personal care through Medicaid. Under CDASS, the family member is hired as a W-2 attendant with wages starting at $17 per hour (2026 base) and reaching $19.29 in Denver. Under IHSS, a licensed agency handles payroll and employment while the family directs the care. Both require the care recipient to be enrolled in the EBD waiver or Community First Choice.

Colorado FAMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance): Since January 2024, Colorado's FAMLI program provides up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement for workers who take leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition. Benefits are calculated based on the caregiver's own wages, up to a maximum of $1,448.02 per week (based on the 2026 State Average Weekly Wage of $1,608.91). Your employer doesn't pay the benefit — it's funded through state insurance premiums that employees and employers already contribute to. You apply directly through the Colorado FAMLI Division.

FAMLI is separate from Medicaid caregiver pay. An adult child could take 12 weeks of FAMLI leave to stabilize a parent's care situation, then transition to ongoing CDASS paid caregiving once Medicaid eligibility and the care plan are in place. The two programs serve different timeframes but complement each other.

VA Aid and Attendance: If your parent is a wartime veteran or the surviving spouse of one, this VA benefit can provide additional income to help with care needs. Because VA and Medicaid eligibility interact, check how any VA payment affects the Medicaid application before treating it as a private-pay budget.

Support Groups and Counseling

Alzheimer's Association Colorado Chapter runs free monthly support groups across the state — both for caregivers of people with dementia and for early-stage diagnosed individuals themselves. Meetings are available in-person and virtual.

NFCSP counseling: Beyond respite vouchers, the NFCSP also funds individual counseling sessions and caregiver support groups through regional AAAs. If you're experiencing caregiver burnout, ask your AAA about counseling referrals — many families don't know this is a covered service.

How to Access These Programs

The regional Area Agency on Aging is a useful starting point for respite vouchers, training enrollment, and local referrals. If your parent is already on Medicaid, their CMA case manager should also be building caregiver support into the person-centered support plan — if they haven't mentioned it, ask explicitly.

The Colorado home care planning guide includes a caregiver-specific resource directory organized by county, along with application checklists for CDASS, FAMLI, and NFCSP programs.

See more Colorado guides →