Mississippi · Caregiver Support
Caring for an aging loved one is one of the hardest jobs there is — and you shouldn't have to do it alone. Below are 29 verified Mississippi programs offering emotional support, respite, training, financial help, peer groups, and legal planning — most of them completely free.
Last updated July 2026
Start here in Mississippi
Mississippi Access to Care (MAC) Center
One call connects Mississippi family caregivers to free counseling, respite, training, and support groups through their local Area Agency on Aging.
Statewide — 10 Area Agencies on Aging covering all 82 counties
Mississippi's primary caregiver entry point. Free, objective, and unbiased information about programs and services for caregivers of older adults and people with disabilities statewide. Available by phone, in-home, or at local MAC centers.
MAC Centers available regardless of financial ability — no wrong door for Mississippi caregiver services
Statewide — Ridgeland HQ serving all 82 Mississippi counties
Around the clock emotional support, crisis assistance, and care consultations for dementia caregivers. Mississippi Chapter serves all 82 counties. 55,000+ Mississippians living with Alzheimer's; 207,000 caregivers statewide.
Chapter: 769-230-0611. New Mississippi Alzheimer's Strategic Plan 2025-2030 published — chapter active in implementation
Statewide — through 10 Area Agencies on Aging
Individual counseling and emotional support for family caregivers of adults 60+ or grandparent caregivers 60+ raising children under 18. Mississippi Dementia Care Program provides additional support for dementia caregivers.
Contact MAC Center at 844-822-4622 to access local Family Caregiver Support Program counseling in your area
Statewide
Free 24/7 confidential emotional support for caregivers experiencing burnout, distress, or crisis. Available by call or text. Mississippi has high rates of caregiver stress particularly in rural Delta communities.
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — call or text
Statewide
Free 24/7 connection to local health and human services including emotional support, crisis intervention, and caregiver resource referrals across all 82 Mississippi counties.
Call or text 211 anytime — also available online at 211ms.org
Statewide — through MAC Centers and 10 AAAs
Up to 27 hours of respite care per month for 12 consecutive months for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's or related dementias. Uses the IDEA! strategy to tailor caregiver support. Contact MAC Center to enroll.
27 hours/month for 12 months is significantly more generous than most state dementia respite programs — apply early as slots may be limited
Statewide — through MDHS DAAS
Respite care vouchers for family members providing unpaid care for a dependent person of any age with a significant disability or chronic illness. Caregivers choose their own respite provider. Contact MAC Center to apply.
Covers all ages — not just seniors. Contact MAC Center at 844-822-4622 for current voucher availability and eligibility
Statewide — through 10 Area Agencies on Aging
Temporary respite relief for family caregivers of adults 60+ or any age with Alzheimer's through Mississippi's AAA network. In-home and adult day respite available. 10 regional AAAs cover all 82 counties.
Contact MAC Center or your local AAA — AAA contact numbers listed in Notes column
Statewide — search by Mississippi zip code
Searchable database of nearly 3,000 respite providers. Search by Mississippi zip code to find local and regional respite options beyond state programs.
Run by ARCH National Respite Network — important given limited local options in rural Mississippi
Statewide — Veterans only
At least 30 days annual respite for caregivers of eligible veterans enrolled in VA healthcare. G.V. Sonny Montgomery VA Medical Center (Jackson) and Gulf Coast VA Medical Center serve Mississippi veterans.
Must be caring for veteran enrolled in VA healthcare — Jackson VAMC: 601-362-4471
Statewide — in person and virtual
Free education programs for dementia caregivers across all 82 Mississippi counties. ALZ Talks webinars, care consultations, and workshops. New 2025-2030 Mississippi Strategic Plan for ADRD guides statewide caregiver education.
Virtual options available statewide — critical for rural Mississippi caregivers. Call helpline for current schedule
Statewide — through MAC Centers
Caregiver support and training through the Mississippi Dementia Care Program using the IDEA! strategy. Provides structured skill-building for dementia caregivers alongside respite services. Access through MAC Centers.
IDEA! strategy provides evidence-based dementia caregiver training — contact MAC Center to enroll in Dementia Care Program
Statewide — MSU Extension offices in all 82 counties
Evidence-based caregiver education through MSU Extension's statewide network. Aging and family resource programs, Powerful Tools for Caregivers workshops, and health and wellness programs available in all counties.
MSU Extension in every county — reaching rural and Delta communities where other resources are limited
Statewide
State division overseeing Mississippi's Alzheimer's Strategic Plan 2025-2030. Provides caregiver education resources, dementia-friendly community initiatives, and connection to local mental health services for caregivers.
New 2025-2030 Strategic Plan emphasizes caregiver support — DMH coordinates statewide dementia education and services
National — available to all Mississippi caregivers
Comprehensive caregiver education library including fact sheets, online programs, and Mississippi-specific resource directory. Especially valuable for rural Mississippi caregivers with limited local options.
No registration required — online resources accessible from any Mississippi community
Statewide
Free caregiver tools, guides, and education. AARP Care Guide and financial worksheets. Mississippi has one of the highest rates of multigenerational and kinship caregiving in the country.
AARP membership not required — print guide available by calling 877-333-5885
Statewide
Elderly and Disabled Medicaid waiver covering personal care services, adult day care, in-home respite, and case management. Allows family members to be paid as personal care providers under consumer-directed option. Income limit approx. $2,829/month.
Must meet Medicaid eligibility and nursing facility level of care — contact MAC Center at 844-822-4622 to begin screening
Statewide
Medicaid waiver for individuals 65+ and adults 16-64 with physical disabilities. Consumer-directed option allows eligible family members (excluding spouses) to be paid as personal assistants. Contact Division of Medicaid to apply.
Spouses not eligible as paid caregivers — adult children and relatives may qualify. Contact Medicaid at 800-421-2408
Statewide — Veterans only
Monthly stipend for caregivers of eligible veterans with 70%+ service-connected disability. Also includes CHAMPVA health insurance. VA legacy cohort protected through September 2028.
Must be caring for veteran with 70%+ service-connected disability rating
Statewide — through 10 Area Agencies on Aging
Federal program providing information, counseling, training, respite, and supplemental services to family caregivers of adults 60+ or any age with Alzheimer's. Grandparent kinship caregiver grants also available.
Contact MAC Center or local AAA — Mississippi has high kinship caregiving rates; grandparent caregiver grants important
Statewide — in person and virtual
Free caregiver support groups throughout Mississippi from Jackson to Biloxi to Tupelo. ALZConnected online community available 24/7. Virtual groups essential for rural and Delta caregivers.
Call helpline or visit website to find group by zip code — virtual options bridge Mississippi's vast rural geography
Statewide — 10 regional AAAs
Caregiver support groups through Mississippi's 10 Area Agencies on Aging covering all 82 counties. Groups for general caregiving, dementia, and grandparent kinship caregivers. Contact MAC Center to find groups near you.
10 AAAs with distinct regional numbers: Southern 800-444-8014 | Northeast 800-745-6961 | North Delta 800-844-2433 | Southwest 800-338-2049
Statewide — through MAC Centers
Peer support component of the Mississippi Dementia Care Program connecting dementia caregivers with others in similar situations. Part of the IDEA! strategy's comprehensive approach to caregiver support.
Peer support provided alongside respite and training through the Dementia Care Program — contact MAC Center to enroll
National — available to all Mississippi caregivers
Free online peer community of 25,000+ caregivers active 24/7. Especially valuable for Mississippi caregivers in the Delta or rural areas where local in-person groups may not be available.
AARP membership not required — virtual peer support bridges Mississippi's geographic isolation
Southern Mississippi — Harrison, Hancock, Jackson, Pearl River, Stone, George, Greene, Wayne, Perry, Forrest, Lamar, Marion, Walthall, Pike, Lincoln, and Copiah counties
Free civil legal services to low-income Mississippians including elder law, advance directives, powers of attorney, Medicaid planning, and housing. Serves 16 southern Mississippi counties.
Northern MS served by North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (662-234-8731). Central MS: Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project
Statewide — through MDHS DAAS and MAC Centers
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling for Mississippi beneficiaries and their caregivers. Certified counselors help navigate Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D drug plans statewide.
Unbiased — not affiliated with insurance industry. Access through MAC Center at 844-822-4622 or SHIP direct line
Statewide — through MDHS DAAS
Free advocacy for caregivers with concerns about nursing home, assisted living, or personal care home quality. Investigates complaints and protects residents' rights across all 82 Mississippi counties.
Contact MDHS DAAS at 601-359-4915 or MAC Center at 844-822-4622 to reach your regional ombudsman
Statewide — Jackson office
Free legal advocacy for Mississippians with disabilities and their caregivers. Federally designated Protection and Advocacy agency. Covers disability rights, public benefits, housing, education, and abuse/neglect investigations.
Toll-free: 800-772-4057. Free services for people with disabilities and their family caregivers — all 82 Mississippi counties
Statewide — pro bono network statewide
Connects low-income Mississippians with volunteer attorneys for civil legal matters including advance directives, powers of attorney, guardianship, and elder law. Caregiver legal needs served statewide.
Income eligibility requirements apply — also provides brief legal consultations and referrals statewide
Honest answers to what Mississippi family caregivers ask most.
Your care plan keeps every Mississippi caregiver resource — phone numbers, eligibility, and next steps — in one calm, organized place.
Always free — no credit card required.
Source: LTCareNav.com research, updated on July 2026. Programs, phone numbers, and eligibility rules change frequently — please verify contact information directly with each organization before referral. This page is informational and not legal, medical, or financial advice.