For Caregivers & Advocates
“Caregiving often calls us to lean into love we didn’t know possible.”
What does it mean to be a healthcare proxy?
Making Decisions for Someone Else: A How-To Guide is published by the ABA Commission on Law and Aging, this guide is for anyone serving in the role of health care decision maker for someone else. It goes in depth about roles and responsibilities, what to expect, and even what to do when there are family disagreements.
What’s a psychiatric advance directive?
Persons with mental illness face unique challenges when they are seriously ill. The National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives helps patients and their advocates plan for the possibility that they may not be able to make decisions for themselves during acute episodes of psychiatric illness. This website provides a patient guide, legal resources, and information for caregivers.
Advance care planning for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Thinking Ahead: My Way, My Choice, My Life at the End offers an advance directive workbook and video designed by California advocates with developmental disabilities. It is a good tool for anyone looking for a simple, easy-to-follow workbook.
Making sure you get the most out of your Medicare.
The Medicare Rights Center is a national, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs and public policy initiatives. The national helpline can be reached at 1-800-333-4114.
How to find a social worker/therapist nearby.
Social workers can be wonderful advocates as you consider your own and your loved ones’ advance care plans. The HelpPRO Social Worker Finder is a web search tool allows you to search a database of nationally registered social workers specializing in a comprehensive list of specific health topics. It also allows you to restrict findings based on zip code and insurance status.
palliative care and advance care planning for children.
The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), a part of the National Institutes of Health, developed the Palliative Care: Conversations Matter campaign to increase the use of palliative care for children and teens living with serious illnesses. This website provides information and resources for pediatric patients, their families, and their health care providers.
Support With Caring for The Elderly.
The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging connecting you to services for older adults and their families, ranging from home care to to housing to legal and financial aid. You can also reach them at 1-800-677-1116.
need help with finding care services in your area?
Care Pathways is a free referral service that helps connect you with services in your area. After filling our your location, you will be contacted by email with tailored resources for your needs.
learning more about Long-Term Care Options.
The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care is the leading national voice representing consumers in issues related to long-term care, helping to ensure that consumers are empowered to advocate for themselves. They are a primary source of information and tools for consumers, families, caregivers, advocates and ombudsmen to help ensure quality care for the individual.
Interested in Hiring an Advocate to assist you with Care Planning?
Advanced Senior Solutions is an organization that offers consultation services to advocate for patients and their families. These Aging Life Care Professionals have experience in areas such as counseling, nursing, social work, public health or psychology with a specialized focus on issues related to mental health, special needs and the aging process.
resources for Families Providing Long-term Home Care.
The Family Caregiver Alliance is the first community-based nonprofit organization in the country to address the needs of families and friends providing long-term care for loved ones at home. Here you’ll find fact and tip sheets and learn about how to cope with key issues that arise in caregiving. Information is also offered in Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Support for long-distance caregivers.
Long-Distance Caregiving is a booklet developed by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health. It is a gateway to ideas and resources that can help make long-distance caregiving more manageable and satisfying.
Resources for LGBT patients and their caregivers.
The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is the country's first and only technical assistance resource center aimed at improving the quality of services and supports offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender older adults. It provides training, technical assistance and educational resources to aging providers, LGBT organizations, LGBT older adults and their advocates.