RESOURCES & ORGANIZATIONS
You Are Not Alone.
We Are Here With You.
Whether you are just beginning to care for a loved one or navigating the deepest grief, these resources and books are here to support you every step of the way.
WHERE TO BEGIN
Just Starting Out
Stepping into a caregiving role can feel overwhelming. These organizations offer friendly starting points — education, guidance, and real-person helplines so you don't have to figure it out alone.
Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116
A free national helpline that connects you to local services in your community. Just tell them where you are and what you need
AARP Caregiving Resource Center
One of the largest caregiving hubs in the country. Find guides on everything from managing medications to having hard conversations, plus a live chat and helpline staffed by real people.
Free • Helpline • Tool
National Council on Aging
Helps older adults and their families find benefits, services, and programs they may not know they qualify for, including prescription assistance, transportation, and meal delivery.
Benefits • Programs
Caregiver Action Network
A national nonprofit that focuses on YOU, the caregiver. Their free programs, education, and peer support community are designed to prevent burnout and help you care for yourself, too.
Peer Support • Education
Family Caregiver Alliance
Offers in-depth fact sheets on hundreds of conditions, legal and financial planning guides, and a state-by-state directory of caregiver services near you.
Legal & Financial • Guides
National Alliance for Caregiving
A research and advocacy organization that works to improve life for family caregivers. Their reports and toolkits help you understand what millions of caregivers experience, and what support is available.
Research • Advocacy • Policy
Eldercare Locator
A free government service that connects older adults and caregivers to trusted local resources — transportation, meal programs, in-home help, and more. Just enter a zip code to get started.
Free • Local Services • Government
MANAGING THE JOURNEY
Day-to-Day Caregiving
Caregiving is a marathon, not a sprint. These tools help you stay organized, coordinate help from friends and family, understand insurance, and navigate the legal side of caring for a loved one.
Lotsa Helping Hands
A free, easy-to-use tool for organizing community support. Create a care calendar so friends, family, and neighbors can sign up to bring meals, give rides, or sit with your loved one, no more awkward “let me know if I can help” conversations.
Free • Coordination • Community Calendar
CaringBridge
A free private website where you can share health updates with everyone who loves your family, so you only have to tell the story once. Also includes a guestbook for messages of love and support.
Free • Health Updates • Community Support
BenefitsCheckUp
Discover federal and state benefit programs your loved one may qualify for, from prescription drug help to utility assistance. Answer a few questions and get a personalized list of options in minutes.
Benefits • Financial Assistance • Government Programs
Medicare.gov
The official Medicare site lets you compare health plans, find doctors and hospitals that accept Medicare, understand what’s covered, and estimate costs. An essential tool for families navigating senior healthcare.
Insurance • Government • Plan Comparison
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
Find an elder law attorney in your area who specializes in Medicaid planning, guardianship, powers of attorney, and estate planning. Having the right legal documents in place is one of the most important things a caregiver can do.
Legal • Elder Law • Estate Planning • Attorney Finder
MEMORY CARE
Memory & Dementia
Caring for someone with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia is one of the most complex and emotionally demanding journeys a caregiver can face. These organizations offer expert guidance, 24/7 support, and communities of people who truly understand.
Alzheimer's Association Helpline: 1-800-272-3900 (24/7)
Available any time of day or night — for information, crisis support, and help finding local resources.
Alzheimer’s Association
The nation’s leading Alzheimer’s organization. Offers local support groups, a 24/7 helpline, care planning tools, a community resource finder, and the most up-to-date information on treatment and research.
Local Chapters • Research • Support Groups
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
Offers free memory screenings, caregiver education webinars, and a social work helpline. Their library of resources is designed to feel approachable, not clinical or overwhelming.
Free Screenings • Education Webinars • Social Work Helpline
Lewy Body Dementia Association
The leading resource for families affected by Lewy body dementia, a form of dementia often misdiagnosed. Offers a helpline, caregiver guides, and a network of support groups specifically for LBD families.
LBD Specific • Helpline • Support Groups
Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD)
Dedicated to FTD, a type of dementia that primarily affects behavior and personality and often strikes people under 65. Offers caregiver guides, peer support, and a helpline for newly diagnosed families.
FTD Specific • Younger Onset • Helpline • Peer Support
DIFFICULT DECISIONS
Medical Decisions & Advance Planning
Having honest conversations about a loved one's wishes — before a crisis — is one of the most loving things a family can do. These tools make that conversation a little easier to start.
Prepare for Your Care
A free, step-by-step online program developed by UCSF that helps people make medical decisions in advance. Walks through five key steps in a warm, supportive way, including how to choose a medical decision-maker you trust.
Free • Step-by-Step • Advance Care Planning
Five Wishes
The most widely used advance directive in the country, written in plain English, not legal jargon. It helps your loved one express who they want to make decisions for them, what kind of care they want, and what matters most to them at the end of life.
Advance Directive • Plain Language • Legal in 42 States
The Conversation Project
A free, beautifully simple guide that helps families start talking about end-of-life wishes. Their "Conversation Starter Kit" is available in multiple languages and walks you through the conversation step by step - no medical jargon required.
Free Starter Kits • Multiple Languages • Family Conversations
SACRED PASSAGES
End of Life & Hospice
When a loved one is nearing the end of life, the right support can transform fear into peace. Hospice and palliative care are not about giving up; they are about choosing comfort, dignity, and presence.
National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)
The leading voice for hospice and palliative care in America. Use their online hospice finder to locate providers near you, understand what hospice covers, and access family guides written for people going through this for the first time.
Hospice Finder • Family Guides • Palliative Care
Death Cafe
A worldwide movement of informal, judgment-free gatherings where people talk openly about death over tea and cake. What sounds unusual quickly becomes one of the most meaningful conversations people say they’ve ever had.
Community • Open Conversations • Worldwide Gatherings
AFTER LOSS
Grief & Healing
Grief has no timeline and no rulebook. These communities and resources exist to hold you in the messy, nonlinear, completely human experience of losing someone you love.
National Alliance for Grieving Children
Raises awareness about the needs of grieving children and teens and connects families with grief support programs near them. A wonderful resource if you are caring for children who have lost someone they love.
Children & Teens • Resource Finder • Awareness & Advocacy
The Dougy Center
The first grief center for children and families in the U.S. Provides free support groups and resources for children, teens, young adults, and their families who are grieving a death. Their site also has guides for parents and educators.
Children & Families • Free • Support Groups • Parent Guides
What’s Your Grief
Founded by two grief therapists, this site offers hundreds of articles, free courses, and an online community that treats grief with warmth and honesty — not toxic positivity. One of the most thoughtful grief resources on the internet.
Articles • Free Courses • Online Community • Therapist-Founded
GriefShare
A network of grief support groups held at churches and community centers nationwide. Based on faith-friendly principles, their 13-week program combines video teaching with group discussion. Find a group near you by zip code.
Support Groups • Faith-Friendly • Nationwide • 13-Week Program
ALWAYS
Your Mental Health Matters
Caregiver burnout is real. Depression, anxiety, and isolation are common among caregivers, and they are treatable. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It is essential. These resources are for you.
NAMI — National Alliance on Mental Illness
A compassionate, non-stigmatizing resource for mental health support. Their helpline (1-800-950-6264) is staffed by trained volunteers, many of whom have lived experience. Find local support groups, education programs, and crisis resources.
Support Groups • Crisis Resources
Psychology Today Therapist Finder
Search by location, insurance, specialty (like “caregiver stress” or “grief”), and whether the therapist offers telehealth. One of the easiest ways to find a therapist who truly understands what you’re going through.
Find a Therapist • Insurance Filter • Telehealth Options
Talkspace
Online therapy via text, audio, or video — available whenever you have 10 minutes. For caregivers whose schedules make traditional therapy nearly impossible, this flexible option can be a lifeline. Many insurance plans now cover it.
Online Therapy • Flexible Scheduling • Insurance Accepted
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