Hawaii families coping with Alz­hei­mer’s disease or other types of dementia are eligible for free caregiving services through the Alz­hei­mer’s and Dementia Care Relief Grant Program, a partnership between Hilarity for Charity and Home Instead Senior Care.

The schedule of free care is flexible. For example, in-home care could be spread out for caregivers to have some time to themselves to run errands or relax at the beach, or the care could be used all at once for a caregiver to take a vacation.

Home Instead Senior Care offers professional caregiving services for families such as providing meals, transporting a loved one to medical appointments and light household tasks. The in-home care does not include medical services.

Paul Dziuban, owner of Home Instead Senior Care’s Hono­lulu office, said, "As a family member who’s taking care of a loved one, it’s very beneficial to get a break. Caregiving is very grueling."

There are no income requirements for the grant program.

This week more than 130 families in the U.S. and Canada were awarded grants totaling 6,000 hours in free care.

Hilarity for Charity was created by actors Seth Rogen and wife Lauren Miller Rogen to raise awareness of the disease. Her mother was diagnosed at 55 with early-onset Alz­hei­mer’s.

To apply for the grant, go to helpforalzheimers families.com. For more information on Home Instead Senior Care, go to homeinstead.com/727 or call 944-0422.