We care about caregivers

Helping a sick loved one? Kaiser Permanente has many caregiver resources to support you.

You should feel proud to be a caregiver. But as rewarding as it can be, we know it’s not easy. Whether it’s a family member or a friend, when you’re caring for someone, there’s a lot to manage—logistically, physically, financially, and emotionally. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and alone.

Kaiser Permanente can help. Here’s a collection of tools and resources to guide you through the process of caregiving. We want you to be able to give your all to your loved one—while also taking care of yourself.

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Caregiver support

Caregiving can be complicated. From the doctors and hospitals to the finances and physical support, there’s a lot you’re accountable for. Here are tips, video guidance, and organizations to help you learn to handle these responsibilities, so you can offer your loved one the best care possible.

Caregiver support: You’re not alone

Caregiving: Overview of personal care

Quick tips: Reducing the stress of caregiving

Hospital discharge planning

Financial, caregiver, and government assistance programs

Disease and injury prevention

Caregiver Support Organizations

Family Caregiver Alliance

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Caregiver Action Network

AARP Caregiver Resource Center

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Life care planning

It’s important for your loved one to make their wishes known regarding their future medical care, and empower someone to make those decisions if they’re not able. These are difficult conversations to have, but important for everyone’s peace of mind. These learning resources will help make sure you have everything covered.

Life care planning

Caregiver support: Talking about Advance Care Planning

Choosing a health care agent

Eldercare mediation

Care at the end of life

Caring for someone during their dying process

Medicare hospice benefit

The difference between hospice and palliative care  

 

 

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Self-care resources

When you’re focused on providing care to a friend or family member, you can often forget your own needs. That can make it harder to give your all as a caregiver. Take advantage of these self-care resources to help maintain your own physical, mental, and emotional balance.

3 tips to avoid caregiver burnout

Caregiving: Take care of yourself too

Stress management

Wellness resources

Practice self-compassion

Mental health and emotional wellness apps

 

Is your loved one getting everything they need from their health plan?

That’s an important question. Whether nursing a friend back to health or caring for a parent, you want them to get the quality care they need. Are you satisfied with what you’re seeing from their health care provider? More importantly, is your loved one? There’s a lot to consider. Be sure to have that conversation with them, so they know they can make a better choice: Kaiser Permanente, the region’s leading health system.1

Unlike traditional fee-for-service models, in our system, every part of your loved one’s care—health plan, doctors, pharmacists, specialists, diagnostics, and even medical facilities—works together in the best interest of their health. We’re the top-rated health plan in the region2 with award-winning3 doctors recognized for the quality of their care. Our system is designed to make it easier for our patients to get the care they need, which is what you want most as their caregiver.

The Kaiser Permanente difference

A system of care built around your loved one's needs 

When your family member or friend needs care — particularly specialty care — seeing different doctors in different practices isn’t ideal. Keeping track of results. Searching for specialists and making appointments. Taking notes and carrying records from physician to physician. The process can be chaotic and time-consuming. Worst of all, the doctors won’t be working together, so it’s up to you to connect the dots on how to provide the best treatment.

In our integrated system, all your loved one’s doctors are part of a single care team. Primary care physician, specialists, pharmacists—they’ll partner on a care plan tailored to your family or friend’s specific health needs. The team will communicate via digital health record, so they’ll stay up to date on test results, prescribed medicines, and scheduled appointments. You’ll have help managing their care, and no longer have to transport medical records. Best of all, our care team will collaborate to make the right care decisions for your family member or friend.

Learn more

Nationally recognized doctors. Top-rated care.2

You want those closest to you to get the best care possible. Having a care team dedicated to their wellness is key, but it has to have top-notch doctors.3 The Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group (MAPMG) is the the largest multispecialty group in the region, and they exclusively treat Kaiser Permanente members. We have 1,700+ physicians in the region—with hundreds recognized as Top Doctors3—so you can feel confident in the breadth of their skill, knowledge, and experience in treating your loved one. 

Kaiser Permanente only recruits physicians from the top medical schools in the country. Even then, just 1 in 5 applicants becomes a Permanente physician. Every Permanente doctor is board-certified, and their skills and manner with patients are rigorously vetted before joining MAPMG. Need more reasons to feel confident in the quality of care your loved one will get with us? Consider this:

  • Rated the top Medicare health plan in the region by the NCQA2
  • Rated #1 overall among 60+ insurance carriers by Insure.com in Best Health Insurance Companies of 2023
Learn more

Convenient care how, when, and where they need it

Caregivers have lots of responsibilities: nurse, financial advisor, cook, house cleaner, cheerleader. It requires lots of time and patience. And we didn’t even mention driving your loved one to all their appointments. In Kaiser Permanente’s system, we offer innovative, convenient ways to access care that make life easier for them and for you. Most of our medical centers have doctors, labs, X-ray, and pharmacy in one location, so you can cover their care needs in one trip. We’re also a pioneer in virtual care, so they can get many services right from home. Simply set up a profile to act on their behalf on kp.org, where you can help them:  

  • Connect with a physician by phone or video visit 24/74 
  • Get email consultations with their primary care doctor
  • Call our 24/7 nurse advice line
  • Have certain conditions monitored remotely
  • Get medications delivered by mail, usually within 3 to 5 days5
Learn more
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Manage more of your loved one's care with Act for a Family Member  

When a family member is sick or incapacitated, there’s a lot to take care of. Depending on their condition, they just may not be able to do as much for themselves. That’s why Kaiser Permanente offers Act for a Family Member. This helpful feature enables caregivers like you to handle select health-related services for your loved one, making things a little easier on them. If you‘re 18 years of age and have your own account on kp.org as a member or non-member caregiver, sign up for Act for a Family Member today so you can:

  • Order prescription refills
  • Schedule appointments
  • Email their doctor with questions
  • View lab results, immunizations, and other health info
Learn more

1 In the survey Best Health Insurance Companies of 2023 by Insure.com, Kaiser Permanente as a national enterprise is rated #1 overall among 60+ insurance carriers. In the NCQA Medicare Health Plan Ratings 2023, our Medicare plan is rated 4.5 out of 5, the highest rating in the region. The 2022 Commission on Cancer, a program of the American College of Surgeons, granted Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation to the Kaiser Permanente cancer care program. The Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group is the largest multispecialty medical group in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore areas and exclusively treats Kaiser Permanente members. Permanente doctors are recognized as Top Doctors in Arlington Magazine (2023), Bethesda magazine (2023), Northern Virginia Magazine (2023), Washingtonian magazine (2022), and Baltimore magazine (2022). According to NCQA’s Quality Compass® 2023, we’re rated 5 out of 5 in 30 measures, including: controlling high blood pressure (heart disease), blood pressure control (140/90) and glucose control (diabetes), breast cancer screening, and colorectal cancer screening. Quality Compass is a registered trademark of the NCQA.

2 In the NCQA Medicare Health Plan Ratings 2023, our Medicare plan is rated 4.5 out of 5, the highest rating in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

3 The physicians who practice at Kaiser Permanente are recognized as Top Doctors in Arlington Magazine (2023), Bethesda magazine (2023), Northern Virginia Magazine (2023), Washingtonian magazine (2022), and Baltimore magazine (2022).

4 When appropriate and available. If you travel out of state, phone appointments and video visits may not be available in select states due to licensing laws. Laws differ by state.

5 Tier 1 and Tier 2 generics for a 90-day supply by mail order. Check your plan benefits for more information. For certain drugs, you can get prescription refills mailed to you through our Kaiser Permanente Mail Order Pharmacy. You should receive them within 3 to 5 days. If not, please call 1-800-733-6345.

Concerned about affording coverage? We may be able to help.

Learn more about financial assistance

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Set up a personal appointment

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Attend a seminar

Find a seminar​ in your area to learn more about our Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans.

Call to enroll

Call 1-866-975-7801 (TTY 711) to speak with a Kaiser Permanente Medicare Specialist 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm. They will walk you through your options and get you signed up right over the phone.

Enroll online

Enrolling in our Medicare Advantage Plans online is simple. Click or tap to be taken to our enrollment site,​ answer a few questions, and you’re done.

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. ​ 2101 E. Jefferson St., Rockville, MD 20852
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Page last updated on October 1, 2023 at 12 a.m. EST

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