Resources
Hotlines, federal & state programs, professional directories, and disease-specific support — the long list of organizations worth knowing about.
Looking for an individual professional (lawyer, financial planner, geriatric care manager)? Use the Who-to-Call directory instead.
Hotlines
Eldercare Locator
Federal service that connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging — your county-level navigator for benefits, in-home services, meals, and caregiver respite. The first call most caregivers should make and most don't know exists.
FreeAlzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline
Master's-level clinicians available around the clock. Walks any family through any dementia situation including 3 a.m. crises. You don't need a diagnosis. You don't need to be the legal caregiver.
Free200+ languages988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
📞 988
If you (the caregiver) or your parent are in mental health crisis. Free, confidential, 24/7. Caregivers — call this if you ever notice persistent thoughts of self-harm or that you can't go on. It's for you too.
FreeCrisis Text Line
Text-based crisis counseling. Useful when calling feels like too much. Caregivers regularly use this for the late-night moments when no one else is awake.
FreeVA Caregiver Support Line
If your parent is a veteran, the VA has dedicated caregiver support — financial stipends, respite, training, peer support. Most veteran families don't know this exists.
FreeNational Domestic Violence Hotline (Elder Abuse)
Domestic violence covers elder abuse situations too. They will route to Adult Protective Services if needed.
FreeAdult Protective Services (state hotlines)
📞 Call your state APS — Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) routes
Investigates suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect of vulnerable adults. Can intervene legally if needed. Most states have a 24/7 line.
Free
Federal & state programs
Medicare.gov
What's covered, plan finder, doctor lookup, find a hospital, nursing home compare, hospice provider search. Spend 30 minutes here before any major medical decision.
Benefits.gov
Free benefits screening — answer some questions and it tells you what your parent might qualify for: SSI, SNAP, energy assistance, Medicaid, HEAP, etc.
Medicaid (state-by-state)
medicaid.gov/about-us/contact-us/contact-state-page.html
Long-term care coverage — and the labyrinth that comes with it. Five-year look-back period for asset transfers. Don't navigate this alone — find an elder law attorney first.
Social Security Administration
Direct deposit changes, address updates, replacement cards, survivor benefits, dependent benefits.
Meals on Wheels America
Delivers meals AND social connection to homebound older adults in most US communities. Often subsidized. Often the volunteer is the only person who notices early changes — they save lives.
PACE (Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly)
If your parent is Medicaid-eligible AND would need nursing home level of care, PACE provides everything (medical, social, transportation, day program) coordinated and at home. Underused. Worth asking about.
Find a professional
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
Find a CERTIFIED elder law attorney for POA, advance directive, Medicaid planning, special needs trusts, guardianship. Don't use a generalist for this work.
Aging Life Care Association
Find a Geriatric Care Manager — your project manager when you can't be there. Especially important for long-distance caregivers.
NAPFA (Fee-Only Fiduciary Financial Planners)
Fiduciaries are legally required to act in your parent's interest. Avoid commission-based advisors for long-term care planning, Medicaid planning, and inheritance work.
American Association of Daily Money Managers
Find a DMM — pays bills, organizes paperwork, watches for fraud, coordinates with the elder law attorney. $60-100/hour. Bonded and background-checked.
Long-Term Care Ombudsman (state-by-state)
Free advocate inside nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Investigates complaints, mediates disputes, knows the regulations cold.
American Psychological Association — Find a Therapist
Search filters include specialties like 'caregiving' and 'family/relationship.' Look for someone who has worked with caregivers — it's a specific kind of therapy.
Disease-specific support
Alzheimer's Association — Local Chapters & Support Groups
alz.org/help-support/community/support-groups
In-person, virtual, hybrid. Disease-specific support groups are usually most useful — the people in the room actually know what you mean.
American Heart Association — Support Network
Caregivers of stroke and cardiac patients.
American Cancer Society — Caregiver Resources
Caregivers of cancer patients. Includes the very specific 'How to Care for Someone Receiving Treatment' content.
Parkinson's Foundation Helpline
Disease-specific information, local resources, exercise programs, caregiver support.
Lewy Body Dementia Association
LBD is often misdiagnosed and has unique caregiving challenges. Their resources are specifically for LBD families.
Caregiver-specific support
Family Caregiver Alliance
National nonprofit focused on family caregivers. State-by-state resource directory, online caregiver community, fact sheets on every common situation.
AARP Family Caregiving
Practical guides, caregiver community, prepare-to-care checklist. You don't need to be 50+ to use the resources.
Caregiver Action Network
Family Caregiver Toolbox. Disease-specific resource lists. Caregiver Help Desk.
Daughterhood
Specifically for adult daughters caring for aging parents. Communities ("Daughterhood Circles") in many cities. Worth knowing this niche exists.
Financial assistance
BenefitsCheckUp (NCOA)
Free, anonymous benefits screening from the National Council on Aging. Often finds money your parent qualifies for that they didn't know about.
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
FREE Medicare counseling. State by state. Saves families thousands when comparing Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap, choosing Part D, appealing coverage decisions.
Medicare Savings Programs
medicare.gov/basics/costs/help/medicare-savings-programs
If income is below thresholds, helps pay Medicare premiums and copays. Underused — many who qualify don't apply.
Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs
medicare.gov/pharmaceutical-assistance-program
Drug-by-drug — most major manufacturers have a program for low-income patients. Searchable by drug name.
Practical tools
CaringBridge
Free private site for sharing health updates with the family. Saves you from re-telling the same story 12 times. Especially useful during crises and end-of-life.
Lotsa Helping Hands
Free private community calendar. People sign up to bring meals, drive, or visit. Ends the awkward 'how can I help?' loop.
Hero / MedMinder / Live Fine — automatic pill dispensers
Locked dispenser releases the right meds at the right time. Alerts when missed. ~$30-100/month + meds. For dementia patients especially, often eliminates the daily medication anxiety.
GrandPad / Jitterbug — older-adult-friendly devices
Tablets and phones designed for older users. Larger buttons, simpler menus, family-managed. For long-distance caregiving, often more useful than trying to teach them an iPad.