Montana State University Extension will continue and expand its support programs for unpaid family caregivers across Montana thanks to grants totaling $397,000 from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Montana Lifespan Respite Coalition.
A continuation grant of $250,000 will further the Caregiver Respite Food Program, said program leader Dan Koltz, an assistant professor and gerontology specialist with MSU Extension. The Caregiver Respite Food Program launched in the spring of 2024. It provides food boxes containing five healthy, frozen prepared meals to unpaid family caregivers. The program aims to save caregivers time and reduce their daily burdens.
“This grant is going to go a long way in providing a respite from meal prep for unpaid family caregivers all across the state of Montana,” Koltz said. He said unpaid family caregivers are individuals such as a spouse, partner, family member, friend or neighbor who assist with activities of daily living and/or medical tasks for someone else without receiving payment…