Long-Term Care: Nursing Homes, Assisted Living, and Home Health Services on the Web

CareGuide@Home contains advice about caring for an elderly or sick person at home. You'll learn how to determine the level of home care required for an individual, how to adapt your home to meet the needs of Alzheimer's and dementia patients, and how to hire a home care worker. For those who feel like home care has become too difficult, the site also offers help with making the decision to obtain residential care for someone. Though the site is run by a home health care agency, the advice doesn’t seem to push a particular service or product.

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice has articles that address topics such as, “What types of services do providers deliver?” and “Who pays for home care services?” The Association also has a home care agency locator to help you find services nearby.

CarePathways.com is primarily devoted to those caring for elderly individuals at home. The site is maintained by registered nurses who provide care to senior citizens and their families. Helpful hints and resources about meeting the demands of home care, finding and hiring professional caregivers, obtaining home care supplies, and convincing parents they should obtain home help are discussed here.

Meals On Wheels Association of America has thousands of affiliated organizations delivering meals to seniors each weekday across the country. Find a local Meals On Wheels program, then call to learn more about eligibility. Some programs do have waiting lists.

USA Today offers statistics about the number of people living in nursing homes, noting that the nursing home population is actually declining. According to this article, the number of seniors moving to assisted living facilities or receiving care from their children is on the rise. This article also links to a series of stories about role reversal, or children caring for their parents.

Helpguide explains the purpose of adult day care, sometimes called respite care. It’s exactly what it sounds like: the person who needs care is supervised for a few hours while they do activities and socialize. Meanwhile the caregiver receives a break. In other situations, a person is hired to watch the relative at home for a few hours, or even overnight. If you're wondering how to choose a facility, this article can help you review your options. A link is also provided to an adult day care center locator.

USA Today presents a series of stories about family caregivers, the emotional toll of caring for the elderly at home, managing work and care giving schedules, and preparing for the financial costs of home care. Scroll down to the sections titled "Get Answers to your Elder Care Questions," "How Families Cope," and the "Week-Long Series" for personal and professional advice.

The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) is a support resource for people who care for relatives that are disabled, elderly, or chronically ill. The NFCA aims to improve the lives of caregivers and provides links to several other resources that caregivers can use to make their tasks at home easier. You'll also learn about “proactive caregiving," which involves, among other things, caring for your own health and believing in your abilities.

I Care For You is a collection of stories about family caregivers and their efforts to care for loved ones. Stories about parents caring for sick children, children caring for parents, and spouses helping one another are included here. This site lends support and a feeling that although your personal situation may indeed be difficult, you don't have to cope by yourself.

The Washington Post reports that a few employers are reaching out to workers caring for elderly parents by providing both child day care and adult day care services. Workers worried about elderly relatives are less productive on the job, the article notes. Helping an employee by caring for their elderly family members can increase job performance.

AARP The Magazine has an online guide for care givers. Articles include “Caring for the Caregiver,” and worksheets to help children track their parents’ important documents, monthly income and expenses. There are also links to message boards where caregivers can discuss the issues they face. Registration is required to post to the boards but it’s free.