Resources 1b
General Caregiving Resources
Here is a listing of several websites that offer useful information for caregivers nationwide
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 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 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 caregiving expert Amy Goyer’s book.
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), store insurance card and photo ID images.
National Clearinghouse for Long Term Care Information
https://longtermcare.acl.gov/
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.
Eldercare Locator
https://eldercare.act.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’s Corner.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
National Caregivers Library
Created by FamilyCare America, the National Caregivers Library consists of hundreds of online articles, forms, checklists and links to topic-specific resources. The website is organized into more than 20 subject categories that address the key needs of caregivers, including home care, care facilities, emotional issues, money matters and end-of-life issues.
Family Caregiver Alliance
Originally formed to address the needs of families in the San Francisco area struggling to provide long-term care at home, the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) aims to sustain caregivers with national, state, and local programs and resources. The website has educational information on health conditions, daily caregiving strategies and webinars. It also offers s state-by-state resource locator, a caregiver story-telling corner, and a research registry that connects caregivers to clinical trials and research on behalf of their loved ones.
Caring.com
Caring.com provides information and Q&A advice from experts in geriatric medicine, legal and financial issues, senior housing, home care, and other key areas of health care and eldercare. The site also offers more than a dozen online support groups focused on different caregiver populations and a free customized guide to Alzheimer’s care, Steps & Stages.
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.
HealthinAging.org
The American Geriatrics Society’s Health in Aging Foundation created this website to provide consumers and caregivers with information on an array of topics, including health and medications, community living, advanced directives, and how to find geriatrics professionals.
ThirdAge.com
This health and wellness website is aimed at women 45 and older, providing articles on many topics, including caregiving (click on Family).
