Branch-St. Joseph AAA 3C Information and Assistance Team

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Area Agency on Aging (Region 3C) helps caregivers in this south-central Michigan tri-county region find and join caregiver support groups, with its Information and Assistance (I&A) Team serving as the free, central point of connection. For caregivers who feel isolated, the I&A Team can point them to the peer support that makes the role more bearable.

I&A specialists help caregivers locate support groups — including virtual options that remove transportation barriers — and connect them to the agency’s broader caregiver resources through the Mi Caregiver Connection program. Because the agency also coordinates services like the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver, the Community Living Program, meals, respite, and guardianship and legal supports, a single contact can link a caregiver to both emotional support and practical relief. This is especially valuable in a rural tri-county area where services and groups can be hard to find on one’s own.

This resource matters because peer support is one of the most effective buffers against caregiver stress and burnout, yet many caregivers don’t know which groups exist or how to join. A knowledgeable specialist closes that gap quickly. For caregivers in Branch, Hillsdale, and St. Joseph counties seeking a support group, the I&A Team is the natural first contact — find phone numbers, locations, and a contact form at bhsj.org.