Being a caregiver is an education in itself. If you're one of the millions of Americans caring for an older relative or friend, you probably feel as though you have more questions than answers. How do you find out if your loved one is eligible for state or federal benefits? Can you arrange for transportation to physical therapy? Where can you get reliable advice on financial and legal issues?
Your best place to start finding answers to these and other questions is to consult the nearest area agency on aging. There are 650 groups throughout the United States helping older people and their caregivers by planning, developing, and providing in-home and community services. They are a gold mine of useful information.
There are many valuable sources of information— this site being one of them. Here are a few more reliable sources:
Because We Care: A Guide for People Who Care. This book provides helpful information and a range of practical suggestions covering all aspects of caregiving, from investigating housing options to living with a person with Alzheimer's disease. The online version of this guide contains links to outside resources, making it especially useful. http://www.aoa.gov/wecare/default.html
FirstGov for Seniors
This is the federal government's portal for all its publications of interest to seniors as well as to their caregivers and family members. It provides current, comprehensive information on consumer protection, tax assistance, health, and other issues, arranged by topic, not by government agency, for easy reference. Visit http://www.seniors.gov/.
National Council on Aging Benefits Checkup
A free service to help older Americans and their families identify state and federal assistance programs. The service is confidential and takes only a few minutes to complete. http://www.benefitscheckup.org/.
