Healthy Aging

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Caregiving

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• Additional Resources

Many women are unpaid providers of long-term care in the United States. This is because most people who get ill and need help with daily living at home depend solely on friends and family. Nearly two-thirds of the caregivers of older adults are women — usually the wives or daughters of those who need support. These unpaid caregivers help with anything from grocery shopping and house-cleaning to dressing and using the toilet. They might also help handle financial issues and make medical decisions. More than half of informal caregivers will help out while also working at full-time or part-time jobs. This can make life very stressful. Increasingly, caregiving also can mean helping to raise grandchildren. Read on to learn more about caregiving.

• Caregiver Stress
• Raising Children Again

Additional Resources

Publications

1.   Fact Sheet — Caregiver Stress — This publication provides tips for relieving the stress of caregivers, as well as types of support that are available.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/caregiver-stress.cfm

2.   Caregiving Resources — This resource list includes national organizations that can link you to local resources and support groups for family caregivers.

   http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/caregivingresources.htm

3.   Improving Support for Families and Other Caregivers — This site discusses ways in which we can improve caregiving for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease.

   http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/Unraveling/Part4/

4. Caregiving Across the States: Publicly Funded Programs (Copyright © Family Caregiver Alliance) — This website offers information about caregiver support programs available nationwide. It includes programs funded by the National Family Caregiver Support Program, aged/disabled Medicaid waivers, and state funded programs.

   http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1274

5.   Resources for Caregivers 2007 (Copyright © National Alliance for Caregiving) — This brochure is designed to help individuals and families who have assumed the role of caregiver or anticipate future caregiving. This brochure provides mailing addresses, phone numbers, and Internet addresses of national associations and organizations, plus a list of caregiver-related books, videos, and websites.

   http://www.caregiving.org/pubs/brochures/resourcesforcaregivers07.pdf

6. Selected Caregiver Statistics (Copyright © Family Caregiver Alliance) — This site provides statistics on caregivers, such as age, gender, and ethnicity.

   http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=439

Organizations

1.   Eldercare Locator, AoA, HHS
2.   National Institute on Aging, NIH, HHS
3. Caring Connections
4. Family Caregiver Alliance
5. National Alliance for Caregiving
6. National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers
7. National Family Caregivers Association
8. Well Spouse Association

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated August 12, 2010.