DHSed practical guide · Sources checked November 12, 2026
If you help an older relative with appointments, meals, paperwork or daily life, you can ask for support before everything becomes unmanageable. Start with the task that is hardest to keep doing and the kind of help that would make a difference.
County starting point: Riverside County Office on Aging's Family Caregiver Support page lists 877-932-4100 for information and sign-up. The page says its caregiver support program has no income requirement.
Describe what is happening this week
Tell the program who you help, their age, where you both live and what you currently do. Ask which services fit, whether intake or an assessment is required, and what is available now. A program with no income requirement can still have other criteria, scheduling or service limits.
The County describes support groups, telephone support or coaching, care planning and workshops. Ask about the location, phone or online format, language and accessibility. These supports do not automatically mean funding for a paid caregiver or guaranteed substitute care.
Make a short help list
- One task that takes the most time.
- One appointment, bill or decision that is coming soon.
- Which tasks someone else could realistically take over.
- Times when you need a break or must be at work.
- Any difficulty with transport, food or using online forms.
Bring this list to the intake. A specific question such as “How can we arrange food while I am at work?” is easier to act on than “We need everything.” If your main need is a break from care, ask whether respite or another referral is available and what its separate requirements are.
Keep the person involved
Ask what permission is needed for you to speak with a provider or handle records. Keep a shared appointment and contact list only with appropriate consent. For decisions that need formal legal authority, ask a qualified adviser what documents are appropriate rather than assume being a relative is enough.
If multiple people help, agree on a few practical roles: who calls the provider, who manages the calendar and who confirms a ride. Record what has actually been arranged; an unreturned message is not a confirmed service.
Match other needs to separate services
Use the meal-delivery guide if food is a problem and the accessible-rides guide for SunDial questions. If ongoing paid in-home support is needed, ask the County which separate program should assess the situation. Grandparents raising grandchildren can also ask the County about its dedicated family-support route.
Your next step
Call the caregiver program with your short help list. Ask for one next action and the date of any follow-up. Support is most useful when you know which service is confirmed and which question still needs an answer.
Keep going
Sources and updates
- Riverside County Office on Aging: caregiver support and enrollment
- Mizell: Meals on Wheels criteria and County application route
- SunLine: SunDial eligibility, application and reservations
Prepared by DHSed with AI assistance from the linked public sources. Check current availability and the rules for your situation with the responsible provider. Send a correction.