There are 43.5 million CareGivers who need information, resources, and support!
CareGivers can find services, information, and support from many national agencies and organizations. Additionally, there are many state and local services and organizations. As you search for resources, they may be listed under a multitude of categories.
Jump to Resources links:
National, State, and Local Government agencies with caregiving resources may be listed in the following departments:
- Health and Human Services Department
- Social Service Department
- Public Health Department
- Social Security Administration
- Medical Board
- Mental Health Department
Private businesses and service organizations include:
- National and local chapters for CareGiving
- National and local chapters of disease specific and health related agencies (American Heart Association, American Cancer, Alzheimer’s Association, etc.)
- Customer Service department of your hospital or clinic
Websites for National Organizations
AARP (Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons)
www.aarp.org/relationships/caregiving-resource-center
Information on caregiver support, long-term care financing, help with home care, housing options, assistive devices, and caregiving for adult children.
Administration on Aging
www.aoa.gov
Official federal agency dedicated to the delivery of supportive home and community-based services to older individuals and their caregivers.
American Red Cross
www.redcross.org
The American Red Cross has developed training programs for family caregivers.
You will need to check with your local chapter to find out if there are classes in your area.
Caring From A Distance
www.cfad.org
An organization dedicated to caring for the needs of long-distance caregivers, offering service directories
to find local professionals, libraries on “what to do”, and free conference calls to share concerns and latest
news.
Disability Services
www.disability.gov/health
This site connects the disability community to information and opportunities.
Eldercare Locator
www.eldercare.gov
A public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging connecting you to services IN YOUR AREA for older adults
and their families.
Family Caregiver Alliance
www.caregiver.org
This website has an excellent series of caregiver fact sheets, a statistics and research section with articles of
interest to caregivers, and links to other useful resources.
Hospice Foundation of America
www.hospicefoundation.org
Offers a variety of bereavement and counseling services to families before and after a patient’s death.
Hosts an annual teleconference on issues of bereavement, and has publications on grief and bereavement.
Medicare
www.medicare.gov/
The definitive resource for finding caregiver support resources. You can call Medicare directly at 1-800-633-
4227
National Alliance for Caregiving
www.caregiving.org
The National Alliance for Caregiving provides information on caregiving that includes educational materials on caregiving
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
www.n4a.org
Umbrella organization for the 655 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and more than 230 Title VI Native
American aging programs in the U.S. that help older persons and persons with disabilities live with dignity in
their homes and communities for as long as possible.
National Resource Directory
www.nationalresourcedirectory.org
Developed by the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs for wounded, ill, and injured service
members and veterans; their families and families of the fallen; and those who support them. Lists of
services and resources available through governmental and non-governmental organizations to support
recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration into the community.Hospice Foundation of America
Bereavement and counseling services to families before and after a patient’s death.
Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers
www.rosalynncarter.org
Promotes the health, strength, and resilience of all caregivers at every stage of their journey.
Services for Veterans
www.va.gov
Federal services for veterans. Contact “Social Work” at your nearest VA Medical Center.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
www.healthfinder.gov
A federal website designed to help people stay healthy. Healthfinder.gov features links to more than 6,000
government and nonprofit health information resources on health topics and personalized health tools such
as health calculators, activity and menu planners, recipes, and online checkups. In addition, the site offers
tips for caregivers and health news. Information is in English and Spanish.
US Government
www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Health/caregivers.shtml
Information to find a nursing home, assisted living, or hospice; check your eligibility for benefits; get
resources for long-distance caregiving; review legal issues; and find support for caregivers.
United States Social Security Administration
www.ssa.gov
An independent agency of the U.S. federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance
program consisting of retirement, disability and survivor benefits. You can make an appointment with a
Social Security at your local office by calling 1-800-772-1213.
Caregiver Applications and Websites
There is always a new app to help make CareGiving more manageable. Keep looking for the ones that fit
your needs. Keep a list of all websites, usernames, and passwords
Not all apps work on all devices. It depends on your device and service plan. Whether you have an Apple,
Android, Microsoft, or another system, there are helpful apps that are compatible with your device.
Comprehensive Management of caregiving duties: including coordination of friends and family, health
care record keeping and scheduling with a shareable calendar. Example: CareZone, CaringBridge
Coordinating Care and Managing Appointments and Tasks: Create a connected community with family
and friends where you can post news, and for coordinating assistance for your loved one through a shared
calendar. Examples: https://lotsahelpinghands.com/, Tyze.com. Google Calendar.
Medication Management: These applications often include pill identification tools such as the FDA Drug
Database, medication scheduling trackers and reminder alarms all personalized to fit your requirements.
Examples: PillBox (National Library of Medicine), MedMinder.
Personal Health Record Tracking: It is important to organize and Keep track of the personal health of the
Care Recipient and that of your family members. Examples: Mayo Health Manager, WebMD Health Manager,
genieMD.
Social and Emotional Support: Caregivers all too often feel alone and isolated. Examples: Strength for
Caring – CareConnector, PTSD Coach, Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org).
Meditation and Spirituality: Take a moment to calm your mind with audio-based app playing nature
sounds, soothing music or a repetition of mantras or chants. Examples: At www.Pandora.com, try “Nature
Sounds Radio.” Also, Meditation Oasis has iPhone/iPad apps like “Simply Being – Guided Meditation for
Relaxation and Presence.”
Information & Education: Caregiver information classes are now being offered by webinar. Examples: Look
for announcements about upcoming webinars on trusted websites such as the Family Caregiver Alliance
website (www.Caregiver.org), the Alzheimer’s Association website (www.alz.org), and AgingCare.com.
Safety: With two mobile devices that communicated with each (your smart phone and the other installed
safely on your care recipient), you can track and monitor movement and communicate easily. Examples:
Family Locator – Find my Family and Friends (iOS) (also available for Android), Life360, Skype, Google Chat.
Exercise and Nutrition: Mobile applications are making it easier for you to have a few more minutes to take
care of you. Take a walk, plan a healthy meal, of simple healthy meals, order your groceries online. Examples:
My Fitness Pal, Pedometer apps, AllRecipe.com, SpecialFork (app).
Shop eCommerce for Goods and Services: Many errands can be taken care of online. Since shoping online
can be done at any time, it makes it easier to get your errands done. You can purchase groceries, do
banking and bill-paying, shop for clothes, furniture, and appliance, refill prescriptions, purchase movies and
books, and much more online. Examples: most stores and banks, Amazon.com; Overstock.com, Wayfair.
com, BestBuy.com, Walmart.com, Zappos.com, Etsy.com.
Entertainment & Brain Games: Help alleviate stress , stimulate your brain, and pass the time with free
online games for yourself or with friends. Play games, listen to a book, or enjoy a movie. Examples: Words
Residential Care Facility Resources
Eldercare Locator
https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx
Enter your zip code to find help in your community from local area agencies on aging and community-based organizations.
Medicare
https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/#search
Scroll down and pick “Nursing homes including rehab services”, then put in your zip code to get list of
facilities in your area.
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
http://cms.gov
Scroll down to “Nursing Home Resource Center”, scroll to For “Patients & Caregivers“ and choose what
information you want.
Residents’ Bill of Rights
https://downloads.cms.gov/medicare/your_resident_rights_and_protections_section.pdf