Illinois Family Caregiver Support Program
Web resources for people who are caring for older relatives
Advance Directives: Durable Power of Attorney for Property, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, and Living Will.
Community Care Program, through case management, in-home care and adult day services, helps frail older people, who might otherwise need nursing home care, to remain in their own homes.
Adult Protective Services Program investigates and assesses reports of abuse.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program promotes awareness of older caregivers who are currently raising their family's children and establishes support groups to assist them.
Information on Housing Options.
In-home care.
Legal Assistance Program offers professionals who advocate for and represent older clients in civil cases.
Long Term Care Ombudsman Program responds to questions, concerns and complaints that involve people who live in long term care facilities.
Meals Programs, including home-delivered meals.
Senior Centers provide resources, services and programs.
Senior HelpLine is a toll-free number (Voice & TTY) providing information and assistance.
Illinois Area Agencies on Aging
Illinois Family Caregiver Support Program
Benefits CheckUp, a service of the National Council on the Aging, is a web-based service designed to help seniors, their families and caregivers find the right benefits programs to meet their needs. The site contains a fast, free and confidential screening tool to determine eligibility for nearly 1,000 unique state and federal programs and provide detailed instructions on how to apply for them.
Family Caregiver Alliance, headquartered in San Francisco, was the first community-based, nonprofit organization in the country to address the needs of families and friends providing long term care by developing services, advocating for public and private support, conducting research and educating the public.
National Alliance for Caregiving is a national resource for family caregivers of the elderly and the professionals who serve them. There are three partners – the American Society on Aging, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging; a founding sponsor – Glaxo Wellcome; and 11 affiliate organizations.
National Family Caregivers Association is a grass roots organization created to educate, support, empower and speak up for people who care for chronically ill, aged or disabled loved ones.
Well Spouse Foundation is a national, not-for-profit membership organization which gives support to wives, husbands, and partners of the chronically ill and/or disabled. Well spouses face similar problems of anger, guilt, fear, isolation, grief, and financial threat whether they are full-time caregivers or whether their partners have only moderately disabling illnesses.
U.S. Administration on Aging
The Administration on Aging is an agency of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services; and it supports a nationwide aging network, providing services to the elderly, especially to enable them to remain independent.
Other Web Resources
AARP – Caregiving
Caregiving Help, a service of CJE SeniorLife, leading eldercare provider and resource in the Chicago area, provides updated articles, links and tips on how to handle the variety of emotions and challenges connected with caregiving.
Illinois Respite Coalition, A Lifespan of Respite Care
Institute for Caregiver Education, Inc., Developing America's Healthcare Workforce
Aging Life Care Association – What is a Geriatric Care Manager?
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Caregiver Support Program