RESOURCES
General Caregiving Resources
There are dozens of national nonprofit organizations, caregiving advocates, and government agencies that offer websites with useful caregiving resources, information, and advice. Researching them can be overwhelming, but if you have siblings or partners willing to help, you might divvy up portions of the following list and then share your findings. To find resources by subject area, or lists of local social services organizations and government agencies see the three listings in the above menu under Resources / Agency Resources).
National Nonprofit Organizations and Advocates
AARP
Supporting America’s 40 million family caregivers across the country is a top priority for AARP, which is working with governors, state legislators, and community partners to take commonsense steps in helping people take care of their older parents, spouses, and other loved ones.
The Caregiving Resource Center
AARP’s website offers a Caregiving Resource Center (www.aarp.org/caregiving) that provides an array of basic information. Topics include:
- Tips on getting started and organized.
- What’s involved with day-to-day care in the home.
- An overview of housing options, from independent living to nursing care.
- Basic information for managing someone else’s legal matters and finances.
- Options for managing the final stages of life.
- Advice for caregivers to take care of themselves.
Other general caregiving tools available on the AARP website:
(www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/caregiving-tools)
- Caregiving Question & Answer Tool: Fast access to frequently asked questions about caregiving.
- Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving: A free downloadable excerpt of a book by AARP’s caregiving expert and columnist. Amy Goyer
- Staying Sharp (https://stayingsharp.aarp.org/): The new AARP Staying Sharp website offers a program that helps promote brain health, including healthy recipes, brain-strengthening exercises, computer games, and assessment tools.
- AARP Caregiving App: Available for free from the Apple iTunes app store for iOS and can be used to help manage medications, keep up a list of contacts (doctors, insurance, friends, and others), and store insurance card images and photo IDs.
AgingCare
This website is designed to help families find information on a wide range of caregiving topics, with articles and guides written by professional writers and elder care experts. The site offers a “Find Care” feature designed to help caregivers nationwide locate service providers near them, and an online forum where caregivers can share their experiences, ask questions and participate in group discussions.
ARCHANGELS
ARCHANGELS is a national platform whose mission is to reframe how caregivers are seen, honored, and supported, using data and stories, and partnering with public and private organizations in local communities. The website offers caregivers a “quiz” to assess their experiences by measuring a “Caregiver Intensity Index” score. It also provides listings of resources by state; resources for those caring for veterans; and resources by “Drivers” (aspects of caregiving that may make the experience more intense for individuals) and by “Buffers” (specific supports that may reduce the intensity of caregiving). And the site gives tips aimed at helping caregivers translate their caregiving experiences into their professional work history.
Caregiver Action Network
Formerly the National Family Caregivers Association, the Caregiver Action Network (CAN) is a leading nonprofit organization aimed at improving the quality of life for a spectrum of caregivers, ranging from the parents of children with special needs to the families and friends of wounded soldiers, and the adult children caring for parents with chronic diseases. The website offers a caregiver forum and peer network, a family caregiver toolbox, lists of agencies and organizations, and special information and support for Alzheimer’s caregivers.
Caring.com
This website offers a Caregiving Resource Center with peer-reviewed articles on more than 50 topics; extensive directories on senior living facilities and home care agencies by state; and advice from a team of experts in geriatric medicine, law, finance, housing, and other key areas of healthcare and eldercare.
Family Caregiver Alliance
This community-based nonprofit organization is dedicated to addressing the needs of families and friends who provide long-term care for loved ones at home. The Alliance grew from a small task force of families and community leaders in San Francisco who came together more than 40 years ago to create support services for those struggling to provide long-term care for a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, Parkinson’s, and other debilitating disorders. FCA now offers an array of support services, education programs, videos, classes, resource lists, and other information to manage the complex demands of caregiving. The organization’s “Services by State” tool helps family caregivers locate public, nonprofit, and private programs and services nearest their loved ones—whether they are living at home or in a residential facility.
FCA’s National Center on Caregiving combines research, policy, and practice to advance high-quality, cost-effective programs and policies for caregivers in every state.
HealthinAging.org
The Health in Aging Foundation, created by the American Geriatrics Society, is committed to helping older adults and caregivers maintain health, independence, and quality of life. The website features educational material on an array of topics, including health and medications, community living, advance directives, and how to find geriatrics professionals in your area. These tools have been reviewed by geriatrics healthcare professionals and members of the American Geriatrics Society.
Lotsa Helping Hands
Lotsa Helping Hands is a free web service where people can create private groups to coordinate and post tasks needed by a caregiver. Family members and friends may sign up online for a task, and the site tracks each task, generating a summary report showing who has volunteered for various tasks and which tasks remain unassigned.
National Alliance for Caregiving
This nonprofit coalition of national organizations focuses on advancing family caregiving through research, innovation and advocacy. The website’s Resources section includes a directory of information on finances, care recipient and caregiver health, in addition to downloadable booklets, guides and webinars.
National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC)
NAIPC is a national nonprofit resource group that connects seniors, their families, and caregivers to a support network of professionals whose mission is to help older people age in place, remaining independent in the housing of their choice. NAIPC members, who adhere to a code of conduct, are experts in a wide range of fields, including health care, financial and legal services, design and home remodeling. There are 15 NAIPC chapters across the country, including one on Long Island.
National Council on Aging
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a leading nonprofit service and advocacy organization representing older adults and community organizations that serve them. The website provides information on topics ranging from fall prevention to reverse mortgages, besides linking to other NCOA sites, such as BenefitsCheckup and the Center for Healthy Aging.
Next Avenue
Next Avenue is a nonprofit journalism website supported by the national PBS system aimed at helping people 50 and older navigate and enjoy their lives. The website offers a section on caregiving, providing a range of information, resources and advice on topics ranging from handling daily challenges to end-of-life care. Other subjects covered by the site include health, money, work & purpose, technology and living. Articles are written by a team of professional editors, as well as by experienced contributors across the country.
ThirdAge.com
This health and wellness website is aimed at women 45 and older, providing articles on many topics, including caregiving (click on Family).
Government Agencies
Administration for Community Living
A division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration for Community Living’s mission is to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults and people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers. The Administration on Aging, a unit of ACL, oversees a host of services, such as the Lifespan Respite Care Program and the National Family Caregiver Support Program, which provides grants to states to fund services and programs that help families care for their loved ones at home for as long as possible. Available services include individual counseling, organization of support groups, respite care, and caregiver training.
Eldercare Locator
https://eldercare.acl.gov
(Toll-free) 1-800-677-1116
The Eldercare Locator is a nationwide online service provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Aging, which is now a unit under HHS’s Administration for Community Living. This tool helps seniors and their caregivers connect to local services for older adults. The site enables users to search by topic and location; it also offers a menu of tools and resources, including a “Caregiver Corner.”
The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides basic information and resources to help families start preparing for future long-term care needs, including personal and financial planning steps, housing considerations and legal issues. The site links to the agency’s Eldercare Locator and other tools that help caregivers find services and determine costs in their local area.
National Institute on Aging
www.nia.nih.gov/ (Click Health Information)
A unit of the National Institutes of Health, the institute leads the federal government in conducting and supporting research on aging and the health and well-being of older people. The website offers dozens of articles on aging-related topics, as well as how to be an effective caregiver.