National Resources

These links have a caregiver focus. For additional links to web sites that focus on aging resources nationally, click here.

AARP: www.aarp.org. Web site for the AARP organization. Click on Care and Family, then on Caregiving. Site has other information for persons fifty and older, and some caregivers use the Games and Crossword Puzzles section under Travel and Leisure for a break from caregiving. You do not have to join AARP to use this site, but membership benefits are described.

Able Data: www.abledata.com. U. S. Department of Education funds this site, which provides information about assistive devices and companies that sell them.

Administration on Aging (AOA): www.aoa.dhhs.gov. Federal agency that provides funding and direction for many programs for seniors and their caregivers including the Caregivers REST Project, an AOA demonstration grant that paid for the development of the AgingCareFL web site by St. Petersburg College and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc. The Administration on Aging web site describes federal programs such as the National Family Caregiver Support Program in a number of languages. Caregiver publications are available, and the site links to Eldercare Locator, an AOA-funded service to help caregivers find resources in any state.

Ageless Design: www.agelessdesign.com. Information for Alzheimer's caregivers. Links to Alzheimer's Store.

AL ANON/ALATEEN: www.al-anon.org. Organization that provides support to friends and families of alcoholics. Includes publications and contact information for local chapters (notice hyphens).

ALS Association: www.alsa.org. National organization concerned with ALS (amyotrophic lateral schlerosis), also called Lou Gehrig's Disease. Provides advocacy and serves families affected by ALS. Links to products to help with daily living, lists physicians, includes directory of chapters and support groups.

Alzheimer's Caregiver Support On Line: http://alzonline.phhp.ufl.edu/. Free Positive Caregiving online classes for dementia caregivers in Florida and nationwide. A project of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs(DOEA) and the University of Florida.

Alzheimer's Store: www.Alzstore.com. Sells products such as respite videos, stove-top fire fighters, alarms to alert caregivers to wandering, Alzheimer's activity aprons.

ALZwell Caregiver Support: www.alzwell.com. Alzheimer's information, "Anger Wall" where caregivers can write out negative feelings, section on death and spirituality including place to write memorials to loved ones. Links to Eldercare Online.

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP): www.aafp.org. Organization of family physicians. In top corner of home page, search for A Practical Guide to Caring for Caregivers. This article, published in American Family Physician Magazine December 15, 2000, provides a Caregiver Burden test and a checklist for doctors to use with caregivers. Caregivers may want to take these tests. Also click on "Patients" on the AAFP home page or go to the related address www.familydoctor.org for "a to z" health topics and sections on healthy living, self-care, drug information, medical dictionary, etc.

American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA): www.aahsa.org. This national organization is made up of not-for-profit nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities, senior housing, assisted living facilities, etc. committed to affordable, ethical long term care. Web site includes consumer information about choices.

American Association on Aging: www.asaging.org. Organization committed to enhancing knowledge and skills of those serving older persons and their families. Includes a Resources section.

American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org. Support for cancer survivors and their families.

American Diabetes Association: www.diabetes.org. Information about Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Site includes Recipe of the day and Tip of the Day.

American Dietetic Association: www.eatright.org. Web site of national organization for dieticians and other professionals provides information for consumers on healthy lifestyle, nutrition tips, and listing of dieticians by area.

American Geriatrics Society Foundation: www.healthinaging.org. Click on Eldercare at Home for a free comprehensive online guide to solving caregiving problems. The simple format used for each problem includes advice on how to overcome obstacles such as the older person's refusal to accept help from anyone but the primary caregiver and examples of what to say when describing problems to professionals.

American Health Assistance Foundation: www.ahaf.org. Research and education for Alzheimer's, glaucoma, macular degeneration, heart disease, and stroke. Offers emergency financial assistance grants to Alzheimer's caregivers.

American Health Care Association: www.ahca.org. Membership organization for professionals in long term care field. Promotes quality in nursing home care.

American Heart Association: www.americanheart.org. National association that provides information and support to persons with heart disease or trying to prevent heart disease. Web site includes Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia and sells heart-healthy cookbooks.

American Liver Foundation: www.liver.org. Information about liver health and diseases such as Hepatitis. Site includes contact information for local chapters and support groups.

American Lung Association: www.lungusa.org Advocacy for cleaner air. Education and support for lung problems. Click on "Programs and Events", then on "Freedom from Smoking" for help in efforts to quit smoking. Covers all types of lung diseases including those caused by AIDS. Includes free profiler tools to help with COPD or lung cancer treatment decisions and local office search.

American Medical Association: www.ama-assn.org. Click on ?Patients? to find Health Information, Atlas of the Body, Medical Library, and Reference Center.

American Pain Foundation: www.painfoundation.org. Information and advocacy for proper treatment of pain. Includes pain Action Guide, Pain Care Bill of Rights.

American Parkinson's Disease Association: www.apdaparkinson.org. Facts about Parkinson's Disease, chapter and support group information, and publications. Differs from The National Parkinson Foundation.

American Podiatric Medical Association: www.apma.org. Information about foot health and problems. Search for a podiatrist by area.

American Society on Aging: www.asaging.org. Membership organization dedicated to improving skills and knowledge of those working with older people. Generations and Aging Today are publications available to the public.

American Stroke Association: www.strokeassociation.org. American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. Offers information and free subscription to Stroke Connection Magazine to stroke survivors and caregivers.

Assisted Living Federation of America: www.alfa.org. Organization representing non-profit and for-profit assisted living facilities. Web site includes Consumer section with Consumer Checklist (what to look for in a facility).

Benefits Check Up: www.benefitscheckup.org. Service of the National Council on Aging (NCOA). Free, confidential, personalized report on benefits eligibility for individuals.

Better Business Bureau: www.bbb.org. National site for consumer and business guidance. Encourages ethics and fairness in marketplace.

Beverly Foundation: ((www.beverlyfoundation.orgwww.beverlyfoundation.org)). Research and education in areas of transportation and long term care with goal of improving life for seniors.

Care Guide: www.careguide.com. Free mini-assessment of needs helps caregivers locate relevant caregiver information and resources.

Caregiver's Handbook by San Diego County Mental Health Services: www5.biostat.wustl.edu/alzheimer/care.html. This 1990 handbook has some information that is timeless. Click on topics such as Caregiver's Self-Rating Scale,Personal Care, Mental Stimulation, and Suicide Prevention.

Caregiver's Marketplace: www.caregiversmarketplace.com. Free membership for discounts when purchasing assistive devices, incontinence products, videos, books, and other products from catalogs and various web sites linked to this one. A membership number is used for discounted ordering.

Caregiving.com: www.caregiving.com. Includes different types of online support groups including ones for beginning caregivers, male caregivers, alternative lifestyle caregivers, and young adults affected by caregiving. Offers support for professionals and "thinking about you" gifts to purchase online for delivery to caregivers.

Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov. Federal government public health site includes disease information and older adult health section.

Children of Aging Parents (CAPS): www.caps4caregivers.org. Children of Aging Parents organization does not list a chapter in Pinellas County, Florida, but you can join the national organization or help start a chapter. Organization's goal is to raise awareness about the importance of caregiver health.

Consumer: www.consumer.gov. Federal consumer information resource covering new products, food, money, health, transportation, home and community, etc. Click on "First Gov" to access other U. S. government public information in easy to read format.

Dynamic Living: www.dynamic-living.com. Web site sells assistive devices and other products for persons with arthritis, low vision, and other challenges. Click on "Caregiving" for products such as transfer boards and ramps. Gift ideas are provided by price category (notice hyphen).

Eldercare Locator: www.eldercare.gov. Administration on Aging-funded project to help caregivers find resources in any state. Also lists the Eldercare Locator toll-free number which links directly to Elder Helplines throughout the United States for answers to questions about resources in a chosen area.

ElderCare Online: www.ec-online.net. Offers free newsletter, bookstore, chat guide, glossary of caregiving terms, teen support, medical research assistant, and articles on topics such as respite care and using family meetings to resolve eldercare issues. Links to ALZwell Caregiver Support.

Elder Corner: www.eldercorner.com. Sells assistive devices including some for one-handed use by persons affected by strokes or other challenges (notice hyphen).

Elder Hostel: www.elderhostel.org. Non-profit organization provides national and international educational travel programs to persons 55 and over.

Empowering Caregivers: www.care-givers.com. Emotional and spiritual support for caregivers. Includes inspirational articles and Healing Circle of Prayer (notice hyphen).

Experience Works: www.experienceworks.org. A national non-profit organization (formerly Green Thumb) that provides training and employment services for mature workers. Web site lists local contacts, links to Geezer.com (see description below).

Family Care America: www.familycareamerica.com. Web site sponsored by company whose business is teaching employers how to support caregivers. Includes information and resources for caregivers.

Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA): www.caregiver.org. National statistics, news about legislation, and fact sheets on caregiving issues such hands-on caregiving skills and how to manage behaviors associated with dementia.

Federal Consumer Information Center (FCIC): www.pueblo.gsa.gov. FCIC distributes consumer-oriented publications from many federal agencies. The telephone number for the National Contact Center, an information line, is included.

Federal Trade Commission: www.ftc.gov. U. S. Federal Trade Commission provides online articles, consumer publications, consumer protection, and opportunity to file complaints against companies. Click on Consumer Protection.

First Gov for Consumers: www.consumer.gov. Federal consumer information resource covering new products, food, money, health, transportation, home and community, etc.

First Gov for Consumers Identity Theft: www.consumer.gov/idtheft. U. S. government's central site for identity theft. Read publications, print Identity Theft Affidavit form, and file online complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

First Gov for Seniors: www.seniors.gov. Federal government site for seniors. Choose federal portals such as First Gov or click on links to federal and state agency sites. Includes information about seniors and computers, health and fitness, travel, and legislation.

Geezer.com: www.geezer.com. An e-commerce web site sponsored by Experience Works to provide senior artisans with a place to market their works.

Generations On Line: www.generationsonline.com. A non-profit organization promoting Internet literacy for older Americans. Offers online instructional software for those who have never used a computer. Some libraries and senior centers are purchasing this software to make it available.

Gerontological Society of America: www.geron.org. Membership organization provides aging research information to professionals in the field of aging.

Government Benefits: www.govbenefits.gov. New official government benefits web site. Free personalized benefits test or general search for benefits.

Hard of Hearing Advocates: www.hohadvocates.org. Includes report to Congress on hearing loss in elderly, description of types of assistive devices for hearing loss, and list of drugs that can cause hearing loss.

The Hartford Alzheimer's: www.thehartford.com/alzheimers. Helps Alzheimer's caregivers with driving issues. Tools include A Practical Guide to Alzheimer's Dementia and Driving, Warning Signs of Dementia Worksheet, and Agreement With My Family About Driving.

Healing Well: www.healingwell.com. Disease information, coping tips for dealing with emotional aspects of chronic illness, and links to sites for specific diseases or conditions such as Crohn's Disease, Lupus, and Breast Cancer.

Healthfinder: www.healthfinder.gov. Site sponsored by the U. S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Information on diseases, prevention, health care providers, etc. Includes online self tests and medical dictionary.

Healthy Caregiver Magazine: www.healthycaregiver.com. Online site for The Healthy Caregiver Magazine, not to be confused with Today's Caregiver Magazine. Target readers are contemporary adults caring for aging parents. Web site offers informational articles.

HIVpositive.com: www.hivpositive.com. Information about HIV and AIDS. Includes caregivers section and video library.

Homecare Companion: www.homecarecompanion.com. Company has produced videos to teach care for bed rest patient, medication management, safe transfers to wheelchair, communication with Alzheimer's patient and stroke survivor, etc. Also sells caregiving video series plus other support as National Caregiver Training Program. Caregiving books are also available.

Homecare Online: www.nahc.org. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice sponsors this site. Click on "Consumers", then on "How to Choose a Home Care Provider".

Hospice Foundation of America: www.hospicefoundation.org. Education and advocacy regarding dignified treatment of persons during last months of life.

How To Care: www.howtocare.com. Canadian site with information on topics such as home modifications and nutrition that may help caregivers in U. S. Caregiving statistics are Canadian.

Huntington's Disease Society of America: www.hdsa.org. Help for families affected by this genetic disease. Click on "About" and "Getting Help".

Last Acts: www.lastacts.org. Coalition of people devoted to improving end-of-life care. Web site includes links to other end-of-life sites.

Lifeview Resources: www.lifeviewresources.com. Creators of award-winning and affordable video series called The Educated Caregiver. Also for sale online is The Family Guide to Long Term Care Video Series. Click on box with photo and go to screen that lets you preview videos online.

Lighthouse International: www.lighthouse.org. Publications, low vision equipment, etc. for blind persons and those with low vision.

Long Term Care Living: www.longtermcareliving.com. Includes a Glossary of long term care terms and articles on financial options, how to discuss long term care choices with family, etc. This site is sponsored by the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living.

Lupus Foundation of America: www.lupus.org. Publications, research, support, and chapter locator.

Medicare: www.medicare.gov. U. S. government site for persons with Medicare. Includes Prescription Assistance Program Information, Medigap Compare, and Nursing Home Compare by state and region.

Multiple Schlerosis Foundation: www.msfacts.org. Multimedia library with Multiple Schlerosis (MS) information, support group directory, etc.

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA): www.naela.org. Click on "Public", then on "*Questions and Answers When Looking for an Elder Law Attorney". The site also provides a listing of elder law attorneys by area.

National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC): www.caregiving.org. Organization that supports caregivers and professionals who work with caregivers. Includes resource guide to caregiving books, etc.

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI): www.nami.org. Membership organization which offers support to families affected by mental illness. Site includes information about causes and treatment of depression in the elderly and other conditions. Family to Family, a free twelve week class for families of persons with severe mental health problems, is offered in some areas. Search by zip code for local affiliate organizations.

National Alzheimer's Association: www.alz.org. National organization supports research and care. Offers resources for Alzheimer's caregivers including Safe Return program.

National Arthritis Foundation: www.arthritis.org. Information online or by ordering brochures for Arthritis and related conditions such as Fibromyalgia. Site includes local office directory and medication updates.

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging: www.n4a.org. Organization representing the 655 area agencies on aging (AAA's) and more than 230 Native American aging programs throughout the U. S. Provides advocacy to ensure that services and resources are available to older Americans.

National Association for Home Care: www.nahc.org. Association for home care providers offers information for caregivers, also. Click on "Consumers", then on "How to Choose a Home Care Provider".

National Association of Geriatric Care Managers: www.caremanager.org. Explains what a care manager is and provides names of care managers anywhere in U. S. Especially helpful if considering a private-pay care manager.

National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL): www.ncal.org. NCAL Survey results and Consumer Guide with Checklist for Prospective Residents

National Center for Elder Abuse: www.elderabusecenter.org. Provides fact sheets about abuse and neglect, advocacy, and how to report.

National Center for Victims of Crime: www.ncvc.org. Provides public policy, civil litigation, and related information for victims of crime. Service Includes toll-free Helpline and Virtual library.

National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare: www.ncpssm.org. Advocacy organization for health and retirement security. Includes Find Your Representatives feature and link to SPRY Foundation site.

National Council on the Aging (NCOA): www.ncoa.org. Membership association that works with organizations and professionals to promote dignity and self determination of older persons.

National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE): www.talkaboutrx.org. Non-profit coalition with goals of educating consumers to make sound decisions regarding medicines, drug safety, etc.

National Eye Institute: www.nei.nih.gov. Eye disease research information and publications.

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA): www.nfcacares.org. Caregiver self advocacy, education, and support.

National Fraud Information Center: www.fraud.org. Source for information about telemarketing fraud and Internet fraud.

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: www.nhpco.org. Order brochures on communicating end-of-life wishes, Medicare hospice benefits, etc.

National Institutes of Health (NIH): www.nih.gov. Health information, scientific resources, grants information, etc. Click on "Institutes" for links to various NIH Institutes, Library of Medicine, and Centers for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, Minority Health, and Research Resources.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): www.nimh.nih.gov. Fact sheets on mental health conditions and emotional aspects of terrorism, etc.

National Institute on Aging (NIA): www.nih.gov/nia. Research news, inexpensive exercise video for sale, Age Pages. Search site for "publications," then click on NIA Resource Directory for Older People for free guide to national and state resources, clearinghouses, clinical trials, etc.

National Kidney Foundation: www.kidney.org. Patient and family education for kidney problems including those associated with diabetes and high blood pressure, urinary tract infections, and more.

National Library of Medicine: www.nlm.nih.gov. Includes wellness, exercise, and drug information. Click on "Health Information", then on "MEDLINEplus".

National Multiple Schlerosis Society: www.nmss.org. Support for newly diagnosed and those with chronic MS. Research and other efforts to end MS.

National Osteoporosis Foundation: www.nof.org. Prevention and treatment of Osteoporosis. Sample articles are "Preventing Falls" and "Fashion Tips."

National Parkinson Foundation: www.parkinson.org. Parkinson's Disease publications, research information, etc. Click on "Parkinson's Disease Caregivers Information" for caregiver support.

National Self Help Clearinghouse: www.selfhelpweb.org. Collects and distributes information about support and self help groups nationwide. Search Self Help Sourcebook online for sources of support for many different needs.

National Senior Games: www.nsga.com. Non-profit organization promoting senior health through competition in Senior Games and Senior Olympics.

National Service Corps (NSC): www.nationalservice.org. Oversees national volunteer programs for seniors and others.

National Spinal Cord Injury Association: www.spinalcord.org. Includes caregiver section and fact sheets on disabilities caused by spinal cord injuries. Articles range from wheelchair selection to reducing caregiver stress.

National Stroke Association (NSA): www.stroke.org. Organization helps stroke survivors and families. Links to sites that sell assistive devices and other products. This is a different organization from the American Stroke Association.

National Weather Service: www.nws.noaa.gov. Local Forecasts and Warnings, Radar and Satellite images, National Maps, etc.

National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC): www.4woman.gov. Health information for women. Also includes sections on health issues for men and for minorities.

Network of Care: www.sacramento.networkofcare.org. California Department of Aging grant funded development of web sites accessible under each county's name. Includes extensive resource library and assistive device listing helpful in any part of U. S. Click on "Big Print" button if print is too small.

Older Women's League (OWL): www.owl-national.org. Grassroots organization with chapter network that focuses on issues unique to women as the age. Provides research, education, and advocacy. (notice hyphen)

Pain.com: www.pain.com. Online pain assessment charts, pain management information, and links to other sites which focus on control of pain.

Personal Care Wear: www.personalcarewear.com. Honor Guard clothing to protect a person's privacy while bathing them was invented by a caregiver who lives in Brooksville, Florida. Reasonably priced garments resemble terry cloth bathing suits with flaps that allow for washing all parts of the body while preserving the person's dignity. Click on About Us for the story of how caregiving inspired these designs, which are for sale on this site and elsewhere.

Project Action Accessible Traveler Database: www.projectaction.org/paweb. An Easter Seals-sponsored site with online database of resources such as accessible local transportation, van rental companies, travel agencies, and hotel shuttles. Site includes caregiver section with a free video to order and online information on how to prevent agitation while traveling, how to physically assist someone, and devices to help with transfer from wheelchair to car. At the bottom of the page, click on "Accessible Transportation Topics", followed by "Transportation Solutions for Caregivers".

Retirement Research Foundation: www.rrf.org. Large private foundation devoted solely to improving life for aging persons. Includes grant information.

Science Daily: www.sciencedaily.com. Links to latest research news taken from sources such as scientific and medical journals. Click on "Health and Medicine" to learn more about clinical trial results, etc. Identifies source of each article.

Senior Net: www.seniornet.org. Organization whose goal is educating older adults regarding use of computers and Internet. "Learn to Search the Web" and other online courses are free. Web site includes "Internet Glossary" and listing of local Senior Net centers where persons fifty and over may take low-cost classes.

Shirley Board: www.shirleyboard.com. An online tool to help caregivers. It is free and provides an online journal, photo keeper, a place to keep prescription information and medical information, and to store important documents.

Social Security Administration: www.ssa.gov. Information, available in many languages, about various Social Security benefits such as retirement and disability, tax changes relating to benefits, consumer alerts, and more.

Solutions for Better Aging: www.caregivers.com. Nutrition tips for diseases, other caregiver information. There is a charge for some types of assessments.

Spry (Setting Priorities for Retirement Years) Foundation: www.spry.org. Foundation dedicated to successful retirement provides research and education.

Stop Pain: www.stoppain.org. Beth Israel Medical Center site provides palliative care (relief of all types of pain) information for patients and suggestions for meeting physical and emotional needs of caregivers.

Third Age: www.thirdage.com. A web site for baby boomers. Includes healthy diet tips and stress reduction class, online games, and gifts to order. Click on "Health", then on "Eldercare" for free class on Parenting Your Parents.

Thou Shalt Honor: www.thoushalthonor.org. "& Thou Shalt Honor" Foundation was set up in connection with PBS television special on caregiving that aired October 9, 2002. Videotapes of program are available, and the site includes other resource information and free newsletter.

Today's Caregiver Magazine: www.caregiver.com. Order subscription to Today's Caregiver Magazine (print version)and purchase other books and videos. Read articles and receive free newsletter by e-mail.

U. S. Department of Justice: www.usdoj.gov. U. S. Department of Justice provides information on topics such as elder justice, domestic violence, victims of crime, and faith-based initiatives.

USAA Educational Foundation: www.usaaedfoundation.org. Click on "Order Booklets" for Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully or click on "Auto Safety" to view online. Self tests and tips to help you stay in shape to drive and suggestions for other types of transportation after giving up driving.

Veterans Administration: www.va.gov. United States Veterans Administration site has benefits information including health, disability, memorial, etc.

Video Respite: www.videorespite.com. Innovative Caregiving Resources has created video respite tapes that entertain Alzheimer's patients, giving caregivers a break. A number of titles are available including A Visit With Maria and A Kibitz with David.

Web MD: www.webmd.com. Click on "Condition Center", then on "Caregiving". Site includes extensive disease information plus diet and fitness tips.

Well Spouse Foundation: www.wellspouse.org. Association of spousal caregivers includes a mentorship program linking experienced and new spousal caregivers.