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Helpful Resources for Caregivers and Families

Explore a range of national and Connecticut-based resources, including support for dementia and Alzheimer’s caregivers, cancer care, disabilities, rare diseases, and inclusive LGBTQ+ care guidance for families.
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National Resources

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Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support for Family Caregivers

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Resources for Caregivers of People with Cancer

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Caregiving for Persons with Disabilities and Rare Disease

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Connecticut Resources

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LGBTQ+ Resources

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National Resources

AARP’s Family Caregiving site

This section of AARP’s website offers a variety of articles and tools to help family caregivers. Some especially useful free resources include:
  • Prepare to Care guides, available in multiple languages
  • Training on health-related tasks (e.g. wound care, managing medications, and mobility) via the Home Alone Alliance project
  • A “We Need to Talk” free program to help you assess an older person’s driving and discuss your concerns
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Women’s Health | Tips for Caregivers

Taking care of family and friends is a normal part of every day for most women. It can be fun and rewarding to spend time with those who need you. It can also present you with new challenges. This site has resources to help women keep their loved ones as healthy as they can be.
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Family Caregiver Alliance | National Center on Caregiving

This well-established non-profit has lots of resources for families caring for a relative, whether you’re just starting the journey or are a long-time caregiver in need of support. Their tip sheets contain excellent information. The Family Care Navigator feature can help you locate public, nonprofit, and private programs and services in your area. This can help you find government programs, legal resources, disease-specific organizations and more. There is also a free “CareJourney” feature, which is designed to provide customized support and information.

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Smart Patients Caregivers Community

This community is a partnership with Family Caregivers Alliance.
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Caregiver Action Network

The Caregiver Action Network (CAN) (formerly the National Family Caregivers Association) offers practical lists for immediate help with caregiving: patient file checklist, doctors’ office checklist, how to find a support group, medication checklist, independent living assessment and helpful videos. This site is easy to navigate, taking you through step-by-step processes to help get a handle on caregiving.
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CaringBridge.org

Sometimes the burden of giving care can be lightened by sharing with others. CaringBridge.org connects families and friends around the person with health issues through free, private websites where users share updates and support.
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – VA Caregiver Support

Run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA Caregiver Support site provides resources, services and other information for family caregivers of veterans.
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Long Term Care Clearinghouse – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This clearinghouse answers questions about the nature of long-term care, who needs it, how much it costs (with a state-by state breakdown), how it can be paid for, who provides care within long-term care facilities, and details on Medicare and Medicaid coverage of long-term care. The site explains why everyone needs to plan for long-term care. It takes the user through a step-by-step process of accessing it.
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National Elder Law Foundation

This is the only national organization certifying practitioners of elder and special needs law; NELF’s Certified Elder Law Attorney designation is itself certified by the American Bar Association. The site includes a feature to help you find a certified elder law attorney near you.
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National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys

This is a larger non-profit organization and community of attorneys practicing elder law. There is a directory available.
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Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support for Family Caregivers

Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association provides details on what to expect for each stage of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. You can learn about behaviors specific to Alzheimer’s disease, links to local respite care, legal and financial advice, and local caregiver support groups. There is a great caregiver message board, and a pragmatic stress test.
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Alzheimer’s Foundation of America

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America offers a national, toll-free helpline (866-232-8484) staffed by licensed social workers, educational materials, a free quarterly magazine for caregivers and “AFA Partners in Care” dementia care training for healthcare professionals.
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The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD)

AFTD promotes and funds research into finding the cause, therapies and cures for frontotemporal degeneration. They also offer information, education and support to persons diagnosed with an FTD disorder, and for their families and caregivers.
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The Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA)

LBDA works to raise awareness of Lewy body dementias (LBD), promoting scientific advances, and supporting people with LBD, their families, and caregivers. LBD is a complex disease that can present a range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. It dramatically affects an estimated 1.4 million individuals and their families in the United States. To learn more, visit www.lbda.org.
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Resources for Caregivers of People with Cancer

The National Cancer Institute | Family Caregivers in Cancer Support Page

People with cancer are living longer and many patients want to be cared for at home as much as possible. It is important that the family caregiver is a part of the team right from the start. These resources are about adult family caregivers in cancer.
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Cancer Experience Registry

The Cancer Experience Registry is a unique online community that allows people facing cancer to share their experiences, identify the issues that impact their lives, take surveys, access resources and learn from each other. It is free, confidential and open to anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer or provides care to a cancer patient. The Cancer Support Community Helpline provides emotional and educational services for all people affected by cancer and their family caregivers.
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Cancer Support Community Affiliates & Support Groups for Caregivers

The Cancer Support Community Affiliate Network consists of 44 licensed affiliates, 170 locations and a growing number of healthcare partnerships.

Cancer Support Community Helpline: 1-888-793-9355 or to chat live at www.cancersupportcommunity.org

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American Cancer Society – Caregivers Page

A cancer diagnosis affects close friends and family too. Find out what to expect if you become a caregiver for a person with cancer and get tips for making sure that you take care of yourself as well. Resources available include information and support on How to Care for Someone with Cancer, Taking Care of Yourself as a Caregiver, How to Be Supportive to Someone with Cancer, When Your Child has Cancer, and a list of American Cancer Society Support Services and Programs for families who are managing cancer.
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Help for Cancer Caregivers

A collaboration of Anthem, Inc., CancerCare, Caregiver Action Network, Indiana University and Michigan State University, this website provides resources and news on caregiver caregiving.
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Caregiving for Persons with Disabilities and Rare Disease

Click one of the links below:
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Connecticut Resources

North Central Area Agency on Aging

North Central Area Agency on Aging serves consumers over 60, people sufferring from Alzheimers, caregivers and individuals struggling with physical or developmental disabilities. The agency funds and provides community-based services and direct services. They provide grants management and oversight to 60+ community programs and provides information, referral and assistance, elder abuse prevention, respite care, health insurance counseling, person centered counseling and evidence-based health promotion programs.
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Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services

  • 55 Farmington Ave. 12th Floor
    Hartford CT 06105
  • (860) 424-5055
The Department of Aging and Disability Services provides many programs and services to maximize opportunities for the independence and well-being of people with disabilities and older adults in Connecticut. Visit https://portal.ct.gov/AgingandDisability to learn about the department’s wide range of programs and services.
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Connecticut State Department of Social Services: Protective Services for the Elderly

Incident reporting line: 1 (888) 385-4225 (M-F 8:30am-4:30pm) Incident reporting weekends and holidays, call Infoline at 211 (within CT) or 1 (800) 203-1234 (outside CT) Connecticut has a coordinated system to support the safety and well-being of elders who may be subject to various forms of maltreatment. This system includes the Protective Services for the Elderly (PSE) program, law enforcement, health and human services, and the court system. The PSE program is designed to safeguard people 60 years and older from physical, mental and emotional abuse, neglect (including self-neglect), abandonment and/or financial abuse and exploitation. Department of Social Services social workers respond to reports of elder maltreatment and devise a plan of care aimed at fostering safety while preserving the person’s right of self-determination. Staff may help the person remain in the living situation he or she prefers, safeguard legal rights, prevent bodily injury or harm, determine service needs and then mobilize resources to provide necessary services. Visit https://portal.ct.gov/DSS/Social-Work-Services/Social-Work-Services/Related-Resources for more information.
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The CHOICES Program

  • 25 Sigourney Street
    10th Floor
    Hartford CT 06106
  • (800) 994-9422
  • Office: (860) 424-5322
The Choices Program gives free information and assistance on Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap, long term care, supplemental insurance, and other health insurance benefits.
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Long-term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP)

  • 55 Farmington Ave. Hartford CT 06105
  • (866) 388-1888
  • (860) 424-5200
  • ltcop@ct.gov
The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) works to improve the quality of life and quality of care of Connecticut citizens residing in nursing homes, residential care homes and assisted living communities. All Ombudsman activity is performed on behalf of, and at the direction of residents. All communication with the residents, their family members or legal guardians, as applicable, is held in strict confidentiality.
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LGBTQ+ Resources

Connecticut Community Care’s LGBT Inclusivity and Getting it Right Program

Care at Home by JFS is a certified provider by the Getting it Right program as a welcoming, inclusive service for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) seniors and their families.
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Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective

  • 1841 Broad Street Hartford, CT 06110
  • 64 Church Street (HC East) Manchester, CT
  • Executive Director: Linda Estabrook
  • Phone: (860) 278-4163
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LGBT Aging Advocacy

A coalition of service providers and LGBT community members working to create an open and affirming aging services environment for LGBT elders in Connecticut.
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SAGE Services

SAGE is a non-profit agency that has been addressing the needs of LGBT elders for over 30 years. SAGE works with LGBT elders to address and overcome the challenges of discrimination in senior service settings, while also being an essential component in the creation of informal caregiving support, and development of new “family” networks. A network of SAGE affiliates have been created across the country to serve LGBT elders at the local level.
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Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

The Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Chamber (CTGLC) provides valuable business development opportunities, financial access and educational resources to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and allied business community in the greater Connecticut area. As the official affiliate chamber of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), CTGLC is the voice of hundreds of LGBT-owned businesses and actively promotes and creates supplier diversity and procurement opportunities for its growing base of corporate partners and business members.
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LGBTQ Bereavement Drop-In Group

A monthly support group for LGBTQ women and men who are grieving the death of a partner. The group is open to past and present widows, widowers, partners and longtime significant others of the deceased.
  • Location: Women’s Center for Psychotherapy, LLC
  • 784 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06110
  • Contact WCP at (860) 523-4450 x51 for more information
  • Meets 2nd Wednesday of each month 7:00pm-8:15pm
  • Group is hosted by a LGBT community volunteer and a WCP therapist
  • The group is drop in and people are welcome to attend one or ongoing meetings
  • There is no fee
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The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging

The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging provides training, technical assistance and educational resources to aging providers, LGBT organizations and LGBT older adults.
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The National LGBT Health Education Center

The National LGBT Health Education Center provides educational programs, resources and consultation to health care organizations with a goal of optimizing quality, cost-effective health care for lesbian gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and all sexual and gender minority (LGBTQIA+) people.
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The Aging and Health Report: Disparities and Resilience among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Older Adults

Aging and health issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender(LGBT) baby boomers have been largely ignored by services, policies and research. These seniors face higher rates of disability, physical and mental distress and a lack of access to services. This report is designed to help us better understand the aging and health needs of LGBT adults 50 years of age and older.
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