How To Use This Caregiver Handbook and Resource Guide

The Caregiver section of this website is designed to give caregivers resources that may provide knowledge, support, and relief. It is a reference tool that you can visit again and again as your needs change. This on-line version of the Caregiver Handbook is divided into sections for quick reference. Listed below are the different parts of the Handbook.

If you would like to download and print a copy of the Caregiver Handbook, it is available on the Documents and Publications page of this website. Each section can be downloaded separately as an Adobe pdf file. There is also a link to free Adobe Reader software to enable you to access the publication.

Are You A Caregiver?

Understanding the Vocabulary

A "Glossary of Terms" and "Glossary of Acronyms" is included. You may want to start reading other sections of the Handbook and come back to these glossaries as needed.

The Four Stages of Caregiving

This section is the major focus of the Caregiver Handbook and is a description of the caregiving journey. It includes information for those who are just starting to serve as a caregiver, those who are providing a great deal of hands on care, and those who are facing the death of the person for whom they have provided care. It not only describes the stages of caregivng, but it also provides support and resources for those who are in that stage of caregiving for a person residing in Pinellas or Pasco County, FLorida. The Four Stages of Caregiving can help the caregiver:

Recognize the impact of caregiving on your life and family, learn how to be a caregiver, and find out more about the older person who needs care.

Accept help from family, friends, place of worship, support groups, and formal services. Learn about help for working caregivers.

Prevent caregiver burnout and injury while providing heavy care, protect your care receiver's health and safety, and consider facility care.

Resolve relationships, complete end-of-life decisions, use Hospice care, let yourself grieve, care for yourself, and have a plan for your life after caregiving has ended.

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders

Information on Alzheimer's disease and sources of help for caregivers of Alzheimer's patients in the Pasco/Pinellas County area of Florida. This information was originally printed in the Senior Resource Directory.

More Resources and Tips

More Resources and Tips includes descriptions of resources, caregiver tips, and toll-free information lines.

Recommended Books, Videos, and Web Sites

Recommended Books and Videos includes reviews of some of our favorites. Recommended Web Sites is alphabetized under national, state, and local categories as requested by caregivers who reviewed the draft Handbook. Commercial as well as government web sites are listed with a short review of each site.

Personal Planner

The printed version of the Handbook has a section where caregivers can create a personalized caregiver notebook with personal information to help with caregiving. Suggested additions are caregiver workshop notes, a calendar, doctor's instructions, medical history, forms and caregiver tips printed from web sites, medications chart, important family information or at least emergency contacts, care receiver likes and dislikes, and other information that may be helpful to you and to substitute caregivers. Web users may want to create a similar notebook as a resource.

Search Our Site

Need help finding information? Enter the subject that you are searching for and Google will search this web site for pages where the subject is found.

Caregivers Contact Us

Caregivers can contact Area Agency staff with questions.

About the Caregiver Handbook

The Caregiver Handbookwas developed by The Caregiver REST Project, a collaboration between The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc. and St. Petersburg College that lasted from 2001 to 2004. The U.S. Administration on Aging provided a three-year demonstration grant to create and test new resources, specific to caregivers of seniors in Pinellas County, Florida, to help them better prepare for caregiving. Special thanks is extended to Congressman C.W. Bill Young in recognition of his advocacy in appropriating these funds for seniors and caregivers.

**For information about the services or programs described in this Handbook, call the Senior Helpline at 727-217-8111 in Pinellas or 1-800-861-8111 in other areas of Florida.**