Caregivers’ Portal

We can help with guidance and support.

Caring for someone with a spinal cord injury requires strength, adaptability, and commitment. The Caregivers’ Portal is a centralized hub of programs, resources, and community designed to support unpaid caregivers—because sustaining your own well-being strengthens the care you provide.

Caregivers’
Timeout Program

The Caregivers’ Timeout Program provides support to unpaid caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. This program creates space for rest, renewal, and connection to critical support so caregivers can continue showing up with strength and resilience

    • Support for services or resources that allow caregivers to take a break, reduce stress, or focus on their own well-being

    • Assistance provided through direct vendor payment or gift cards (no cash disbursements)

    • Caregivers may apply for themselves or be nominated by someone else

    • Must be an informal (unpaid) caregiver of an individual with a medically diagnosed SCI. (Family members paid through a state waiver program are still considered informal caregivers.)

    • Both the caregiver and the individual with SCI must reside in Pennsylvania, Ohio, or West Virginia

    • Conditions other than SCI are not eligible

Two women, one with red hair and glasses, and the other with dark hair, are sitting in electric wheelchairs and smiling at each other.

The Caregiver Handbook

The Caregiver Handbook offers practical guidance and real-world tools to help caregivers navigate challenges, make informed decisions, and sustain themselves over time. Developed with lived experience and professional insight, it addresses common challenges while offering strategies for sustainability and self-care.

Download Now

Need Help or Have Questions?

If you have questions about caregiver programming or need help navigating available resources, please contact our Programs team.

Contact Us
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Caregivers’ Portal Facebook Group

Community matters. Our private Caregivers’ Portal Facebook Group is a space to connect, exchange knowledge, ask questions, and support one another in a respectful, understanding environment.

Join the Caregivers’ Portal Facebook Group

A vertical banner promoting Ryan Shazier's fund for spinal rehabilitation with photos of people affected by spinal injuries, a QR code for donation or information, and contact details at the bottom. The banner is set inside a room with a high wooden ceiling and ceiling fans, and there are people walking in the background.

Spread the Support

Small gestures can make a big difference. Through Spread the Support, you can request that we send a card of encouragement or gratitude to a caregiver—recognizing their commitment and impact.

Request a Card of Encouragement

A diverse group of people, including children and adults, some in wheelchairs, gathered for a group photo under a wooden pavilion with trees in the background.

Support Group (Coming Soon)

We are developing a regularly scheduled virtual support group for caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injuries. This facilitated space will offer connection, shared learning, and peer support from others with experience..

“We support the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation’s mission of giving those with spinal cord injuries and their caregivers the support, resources, and funding they need to live independent and meaningful lives.”

— John