Tri-County Office on Aging 6 Respite Care Program

The Tri-County Office on Aging’s Kinship Care Respite Program provides rest, relief, and a much-needed break for older relatives who are raising children or caring for disabled family members. It recognizes a reality that often goes unsupported: many grandparents and other relatives take on full-time caregiving later in life, with little time or funding for their own respite.

The program serves kinship caregivers aged 55 and older who live in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties and are full-time guardians of children 18 and under or disabled adults aged 18 to 59. It arranges and funds activities for the dependents in their care while providing supplemental services that address caregiving needs — helping these seniors balance the demands of parenting again with the self-care essential to their own health. Best of all, the service is entirely free to eligible families.

This resource matters because kinship caregivers are at high risk of burnout, isolation, and declining health, yet respite specifically designed for them is rare. By funding breaks and supportive activities, the program helps caregivers sustain themselves and the children or adults who depend on them. For eligible families in the Lansing tri-county area, it is a valuable and uncommon support. Contact TCOA at 517-887-1440 to learn more, and visit the MSU Kinship Care Resource Center at kinship.msu.edu for additional resources.