Resources & Links
– Associations and Organizations
– Community Resources/Social Services
– Legal Resources
– For Profit Resources
– Other Resources
Associations and Organizations
Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the largest national voluntary health organization dedicated to funding research into the causes, treatments, prevention and cure of Alzheimer’s disease and to providing support to the four million Americans with the disease, their families and caregivers.
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service. Their web site contains valuable resources including prevention and risk factors, treatment methods, detection guidelines, and patient services that help cancer patients and their families.
American Psychiatry Association
The American Psychiatry Association is the largest professional membership organization of psychiatrists in the world. The APA website hosts “Let’s Talk Facts” brochures on a range of illnesses, professional resources for psychiatrists, psychiatric residents and medical students. It publishes up-to-date news, research, government policies and developments in psychiatry.
American Society on Aging
ASA’s members comprise the largest multidisciplinary national community of professionals working with and on behalf of older people. The membership includes 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. For over 40 years, the American Society on Aging has been an active and effective resource for professionals in aging and aging-related fields who want to enhance their ability to promote the well-being of aging people and their families.
Aging in Place
Aging In Place connects seniors, families, and caretakers with the information and professional support they need to make the best decision for their physical, emotional, and financial well being. Our resources and network of experts help ensure your home evolves to best accommodate your changing budget, mobility, and health.
Retirement Living Sourcebook
The only complete database of all senior housing, assisted living, nursing homes, home health care services, and professional resources in Virginia (VA), Maryland (MD), New Jersey (NJ), Washington DC (DC), Pennsylvania (PA) and Delaware (DE).
Home Care Association of America
Welcome to the Home Care Association of America (formerly the National Private Duty Association or NPDA), where you can find a trusted and reliable home care provider in your area or learn more about private pay home care. Home care choices can be difficult. The Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) is here to help. Private duty home care agencies are companies that provide home care aides, companion care, homemaker services and may provide nursing services in the client’s home or place of residence. Members of the HCAOA employ trained caregivers and assume all responsibility for the payroll and all related taxes – this is never passed off to the customer.
Aging Life Care Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter
The Mid-Atlantic Aging Life Care Association (ALCA) (formerly the Mid-Atlantic Professional Geriatric Care Managers Inc.) is an organization of private practitioners whose goal is to advance the dignified social, psychological, and health care for older adults, others with chronic needs, and their families. Members conduct their practices in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. Stephanie Thomopoulos is the Immediate Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care managers.
National Alliance for Caregiving
A very good resource for caregiving families and professionals. NAC is a Bethesda based association of caregiving professional organizations (including GCM) that provides information, support, and national advocacy on behalf of caregivers. They have compiled many admirable reports, including providing an excellent guide to other web sites with information on caregiving. NAC’s site is an excellent source of information for professionals looking for access to primary information on national issues on caregiving.
Aging Life Care Association
The Aging Life Care Association (ALCA), a nonprofit association with over 2,000 members, is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors who are elected to two-year terms and represent a diversity in practices and geographic locations. The ALCA office is located in Tucson, Arizona, where a staff manages day-to-day operations as well as conference and meeting planning. On these pages you can meet the association’s leadership as well as learn more about its governance, history, and standards.
National Association of Social Workers
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest organization of professional social workers in the world. NASW serves nearly 155,000 social workers in 55 chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and abroad. NASW 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. Promoting high standards of practice and protecting the consumer of services are major association principles.
Caregiver Action Network
The National Family Caregivers Association offers services in the areas of information and education, support and validation, and public awareness and advocacy, toward the goal of minimizing the disparity between a caregiver’s quality of life and that of mainstream Americans.
National Guardianship Association
The mission of the National Guardianship Association is to provide 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
This web site shares–in a fast and cost-effective way–consumer-health information about many of the diseases or health problems on which NIH conducts or supports research. You can choose from this growing full-text collection of their most requested consumer-health publications.
Community Resources/Social Services
bigtreemurphy.com
A wonderful site for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients. Beverly Murphy is a rehab counselor who retired to take care of her husband when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She has organized this site with love, good experience, and good attention to detail. This site has plenty of good advice for caregivers on the difficult issues (incontinence), on how to develop a supportive living environment, and lots of good words of emotional support. A heartwarming site to visit.
Consumer Safety Guide
We’re here to help you and your loved ones get the answers you need about consumer and medical products. We want to educate the public and ensure consumers are informed about defective medical products, dangerous drugs, and high-risk consumer products. Our goal is to be your go-to online resource. We provide accurate, relevant information in one place, so it’s easy and convenient for you to know what risks you face.
Mesothelioma Group
Whether you’re a mesothelioma patient, family member, or friend, we’re here to guide you through every step of the diagnostic and treatment process. We’re a small team of caring healthcare professionals, patient advocates, and communication specialists.
Mesothelioma Guide
Mesothelioma Guide is your trusted ally in the fight against asbestos-related cancer. Our mission is to guide mesothelioma patients to better health care options and to find a cure.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The National Association of Mental Illness is the largest nationwide mental health advocacy grassroots organization with hundreds of state organizations, affiliates and volunteers. It is a hub for support groups, free education, raising awareness and building community.
Mental Health Resources (MHR)
This nonprofit provides community-based mental health services to adults, especially those suffering medical, social or substance-related comorbidities.
National Institute on Aging — Health Information
The National Institutes of Health provides this online index of information, videos and training tools about senior health, including mental health and wellness.
National Council on Aging — Behavioral Health
The National Council on Aging promotes programs that help seniors cope with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, addiction and more.
Paying for Senior Care
Aging Americans are struggling to pay for assisted living, home care and other forms of long term care. Our mission is to solve this puzzle by providing tools, information and creative ideas which help families and caregivers discover the means to care for their elderly loved ones.
The Alzheimer’s Information Site
Alzinfo.org is a tool of the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation to educate people about this devastating disease. The mission of the website is to educate, engage and create an online community with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access to information and support via online chats, message boards and the most comprehensive resource databases available.
Senior Planning
Senior Planning provides a broad state guide for Medicaid long term care programs nationwide. This resource is free and is compiled by Senior Planning employees. Please use the guide and the supplemental resources provided as an assistive tool to determine the kinds of programs and care that might be available to you.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — Mental Health
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website hosts screening tools, a veterans crisis line and a guide to mental health conditions that often plague veterans.
Legal Resources
Administration on Aging Information on Older Persons and Services for the Elderly
AoA’s “Elder Page” site contains many resources for the elderly that can be useful for attorneys as well. There is a large nationwide searchable directory to 230 national and local agencies, health associations, and organizations. There is a large compilation of general and statistical materials on-line.
Asbestos.com
Providing vital services and free resources for patients and families affected by mesothelioma.
For Profit Resources
Addiction Center
It’s not uncommon to develop an addiction later in life, but the health effects of substance abuse for those over the age of 65 can be even more dangerous than in younger users.
Alcohol Rehab Guide
Individuals who suffer from depression are more likely to abuse or become dependent on alcohol. Depression is a mental health condition that involves continually experiencing feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Over time, these emotions influence how people think and act. This can affect many aspects of life, including professional responsibilities, personal goals and relationships with family members and friends.
Caregiving.com
Provides insights, information, and inspirations to persons who care for an aging relative. The site explains the six stages family caregivers travel through, guiding them to the resources and answers needed to successfully complete each stage.
Caregiver.com
The web site of Today’s Caregiver Magazine. This site has general information on caregiving and caregivers. There are several different features from the current magazine on topics in caregiving and an archive of past articles.
Careguide.com
An established and rich source of information on eldercare (and childcare). Customized caregiver information on a wide range of issues. Includes a good directory of facilities, legal topics, and advice for the consumer on how to find care. Frequently updated with interesting articles.
Caring.com
Caring.com exists to help family caregivers like you make better decisions, save time and money and feel less alone. Whether you’re looking for a senior living community or help with in-home care, we’re here to help you understand your options, learn about financing and guide you through the process.
CareScout.com
CareScout.com is a good resource for information on Nursing Homes, Assisted Living facilities, and news on caregiving. Here’s a quote from one GCM member. “CareScout.com is my favorite site. It is a great resource for GCM’s. Rather than just listing nursing home, home health and assisted living facilities in an area, CareScout has quality ratings as well. The part I like best is that care professionals and consumers can also add their comments to the ratings. In addition to knowing how oversight agencies rate care, the added perspective of “field scout” reviews allows me to be more comfortable in recommending care options to my clients.”
Mesothelioma Hub
Mesothelioma Hub is your ultimate source for the latest information about mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Our mission is simple: to connect mesothelioma patients and their families with the educational, medical, and legal resources they need.
ProAging
ProAging.com features innovative tools to better serve seniors, caregivers, and their families.
Other Resources
Senior Housing Net
A national online guide to senior housing and care options throughout the United States. Users can view color photos, floor plans, pricing, amenities, and even take 360 degree virtual tours.
Senior Options
A national, comprehensive guide for older adults and caregivers. Information on this site identifies your local options for senior living facilities – including Assisted Living, Residential Care, Retirement Communities, Skilled Nursing, Alzheimer, Hospice and Adult Day Care facilities; local options for senior insurance, healthcare discount cards (coming soon), other frequently needed health and professional services such as legal and financial, mental health, home health, and geriatric care management.
