Below are a list of helpful resources:
AARP
The AARP is a nonprofit membership organization that addresses the needs and interests of people 50 and older. Formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, the AARP strives to enhance the quality of life by promoting independence, dignity and purpose through information and education, advocacy and service.
Alzheimer’s Association
As the largest national voluntary health organization, the Alzheimer’s Association is dedicated to funding research to find the causes, treatments, prevention and cure of Alzheimer’s disease. The association supports the four million Americans with the disease, their families and caregivers.
Bright Focus Foundation
The Bright Focus Foundation supports research to end Alzheimer’s Disease. Formally, American Health Assistance Foundation, they are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, has dedicated over 40 years to fund the research of age-related and degenerative diseases. They also educate the public about these disease and providing emergency financial assistance to Alzheimer’s disease patients and caregivers.
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a national, community-based voluntary health organization whose goal is to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. The society helps in preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service. The web site contains resources such as prevention and risk factors, treatment methods, detection guidelines, and patient services helping patients and their families.
American Society on Aging
The American Society on Aging (ASA) is the largest multidisciplinary national community of professionals working with and on behalf of older people. The members include representatives of the public and private sectors, service providers, researchers, educators, advocates, health, allied health, social service, managed care and long-term care and mental health professionals, students and the retired, policy makers and planners. Over their 40 years existence, the American Society on Aging has been an active and effective resource for professionals in aging and aging-related fields to enhance their ability to promote the well-being of aging people and their families.
bigtreemurphy.com
A web site devoted to caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients. Beverly Murphy, a rehab counselor, retired to take care of her husband who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She organized this site to offer plenty of good advice for caregivers on the difficult issues (incontinence), on how to develop a supportive living environment, and lots of emotional support.
Caregiving.com
Caregiving.com provides information and inspirations to families who care for aging relatives. The site explains the six stages of family caregiving. It also helps guide them to the resources and answers needed to successfully complete each stage.
Full Circle of Care
Full Circle of Care is committed to helping caregivers complete the cycle of family care.
Healthfinder.gov
Developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Healthfinder.gov is a free source to reliable consumer health and human services information. Healthfinder.gov offers you selected online publications, clearinghouses, databases, web sites, and support and self-help groups, as well as the government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public.
National Academy for Certified Care Managers (NACCM)
The National Academy for Certified Care Managers (NACCM) is a non-profit organization committed to advancing the quality of care management services through a validated, standardized examination that test the skills, knowledge and practice ethics needed to serve consumers. Credential long-term case/care managers, to promote and enhance quality care management and service provision, strengthen education and training, protect and empower consumers and strengthen case/care management’s role in the long-term care system are the goals of the Academy. The site provides information on obtaining NACCM’s Candidate Handbook with sample questions, examination application and exam locations.
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Established in 1987, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others who work with older clients and their families. The Academy provides resources, education, networking and assistance to those who deal with specialized issues involved with legal services for the elderly and disabled.
National Alliance for Caregiving
As a resource for both families and professionals, the NAC is a Bethesda based association of caregiving professional organizations (including GCM) that provides information, support, and national advocacy on behalf of caregivers. They provide a guide to other web sites with information on caregiving and they are an excellent source of information for professionals looking for access to primary information on national issues on caregiving.
National Association of Social Workers
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest organization of professional social workers in the world. Serving nearly 155,000 social workers in 55 chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and abroad, the NASW promotes high standards of practice and protecting the consumer of services are major association principles. The association was formed in 1955 through a merger of seven predecessor social work organizations to carry out three responsibilities: strengthen and unify the profession; promote the development of social work practice; advance sound social policies.
National Family Caregivers Association
The National Family Caregivers Association offers information and education, support and validation, and public awareness and advocacy in order to minimize the disparity between a caregiver’s quality of life and that of traditional Americans.
National Guardianship Association
The National Guardianship Association provides educational, training, and networking opportunities for guardians; to promote the highest levels of values, standards and ethics; and to ensure a nationally recognized standard of excellence.
National Institute of Health & NIH Senior Health
These web sites share consumer-health information about diseases and other health problems. The National Institute of Health conducts or supports research to better understand these problems.
National Senior Citizens Law Center
The National Senior Citizens Law Center supports low-income elderly individuals with disabilities by provides litigation assistance, research and consulting support, national policy representation, training and manuals and periodicals. The site includes coverage in areas such as Age Discrimination, Americans with Disabilities Act, Medicaid, Medicare, Nursing Homes, Older Americans Act, Pension Rights and Social Security. The site also includes articles and legal documents on many of these topics. The Center’s publications also including manuals and a newsletter, but are sold only in print form.
SeniorDirectory.com
The on-line companion to the Senior Resource Directory – a comprehensive listing of senior services by location.