Savvy Caregiver

Savvy Caregiver is an evidence-based training program for family members and friends caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Delivered in small-group sessions — in person or virtually — it goes beyond emotional support to actively build the knowledge and skills that make dementia caregiving more manageable and less overwhelming.

The program runs for six weeks, with sessions typically lasting about two hours at a consistent day and time. Participants gain a clearer understanding of Alzheimer’s and related dementias and how the disease progresses; learn techniques for engaging their loved one in meaningful daily activities; develop self-care strategies to protect their own health; and build skills for dementia-care decision-making and mobilizing family support. A caregiver’s manual, videos, and supplemental resources reinforce the learning. Because it is evidence-based, Savvy Caregiver has been studied and shown to improve caregivers’ confidence and competence.

This resource matters because dementia caregivers who understand the disease and have concrete strategies experience less stress and provide better, safer care. Savvy Caregiver equips families to anticipate challenges rather than simply react to them. In Michigan, the program is offered through Area Agencies on Aging and partner organizations, often at low or no cost. Caregivers can use the program’s location finder at savvycaregiver.com to find a nearby in-person or virtual group, or ask their local Area Agency on Aging about upcoming sessions.