The National Center on Caregiving (NCC) at Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) has launched the Innovations Clearinghouse on Family Caregiving - an online community promoting professional knowledge around families in their caregiving role. The Clearinghouse offers a diverse array of resources to help policymakers, professionals and family caregivers develop caregiver-friendly initiatives, legislation, implement tried and tested caregiver support programs and access information that can enhance the delivery of quality care.
'Prepare to Care, A Planning Guide for Families,'
can help you and your family members discuss and create a caregiving plan for yourself or your loved ones. It includes information on how to get started, questions to ask and where to find basic resources.
The Alzheimer's Association CareFinder is an easy-to-use online resource designed to help you find the right care options. The CareFinder is divided into the following sections: Planning Ahead, Care Options, Coordinating Care, and Support and Resources. This interactive tool will give you recommended options and a list of questions to ask when screening a care provider.
The Alzheimer's Association also has a 24/7 Helpline that has trained and knowledgeable staff who can help people with memory loss, caregivers, health care professionals and others. Call toll-free anytime day or night at 1.800.272.3900.
Next Step in Care is a new online resource for caregivers and professionals to help make transitions between care settings smoother and safer and to help improve communications between family caregivers and health care providers. This site was launched by The United Hospital Fund
in January 2009.
'Caring for a Person with Alzheimer's Disease - Your Easy-to-Use Guide from the National Institute on Aging' is available free from NIA's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center . This easy-to-read, 136-page handbook helps family members and others learn about and cope with the daily changes and challenges of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease (AD). You can order a copy of this guide at the link noted above, or you can call the ADEAR Center toll-free at 1-800-438-4380.
To help family and friends of individuals with memory loss prepare for and deal with hospitalization, the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center of the National Institute on Aging is distributing this newly updated guide. To download or order free copies visit www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/happens.htm or call the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center toll-free at 800-438-4380.
Lotsa Helping Hands
is a private, web-based caregiving coordination service that allows family, friends, neighbors and colleagues to create a community and assist with the daily tasks that become a challenge when caring for an aging loved one or during long-term caregiving.
Share the Care is a detailed step-by-step model that shows you how to organize a group to care (and share the caregiving) for someone who is seriously ill, no matter what the illness is.
In April 2008, WMHT, in partnership with Albany Guardian Society, Northeast New York Caregivers Consortium, New York State Office for the Aging, Capital Region Caregivers Coalition, Capital District Senior Issues Forum and corporate sponsors Senior Whole Health and New York Long Term Care Brokers, presented a month-long initiative to provide Capital Region caregivers with critical information, tangible tools and resources to help them care for their aging parents. As part of the initiative, "The Caregivers Toolkit" was developed. This Toolkit, designed to help families find supportive information and resources along the path of caregiving, is a starting point and cannot encompass all resources available; information is current as of publication in April 2008.
Family Caregiving: Emerging Practices & Tools for Professionals highlights emerging programs supporting families in their caregiving role and aims to promote the adoption of practices based on research. It has been informed by FCA's contributions to State of the Science: Nurses and Social Workers Supporting Family Caregivers symposium, a project which brought together experts from the field of aging to advance the support of informal caregiving, and the first annual Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Legacy Awards that recognize and reward those efforts which lead the way in addressing the needs of Alzheimer's caregivers.
