Caregivers, Albany: Caregivers Support Services

The Medicare Rights Center (www.medicarerights.org) is a national, nonprofit consumer services organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives. Having celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2009, Medicare Rights is an independent, consumer-oriented source of Medicare information for all Americans. It provides direct assistance to individuals who need answers to Medicare questions, and help resolving problems with access to health care—through counseling, enrollment, casework and, when necessary, legal representation in individual appeals cases. Second, the Education Department at Medicare Rights leverages its content expertise in the field of Medicare through a number of media, most notably the online tool “Medicare Interactive,” (MI), a comprehensive source of easy-to-understand information about all aspects of Medicare provided in a user-friendly format at www.medicareinteractive.org. Third, and most directly relevant to the position described below, Medicare Rights is able to leverage its day-to-day experiences helping Medicare beneficiaries, to make sure that the consumer voice is championed among health care policymakers at all levels of government.

www.healthcare.gov. Is the first website to collect both public and private health insurance options across the nation in a single place. It is non-partisan and it does not try to sell you on any specific plan. It automatically sorts through a huge catalog of options to help you identify the health care plan that may be right for you. Includes extensive information about your rights as a consumer, how to navigate the health insurance marketplace, and how the Affordable Care Act can help you.

Created through the efforts of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Health and Human Services, and other members of the Hospital Quality Alliance: Improving Care Through Information (HQA). The hospital compare website provides an easy to use tool that allows a side by side comparison between hospitals and quality of care through patient survey feedback to help you make informed decisions about which hospital in your region will be best suited to meet your hospital needs. http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov

The National Institute on Health has come out with an excellent, simple, easy to read guide for those caring for someone with Alzheimer's, called "Caring for a Person with Alzheimer's Disease". It is also comprehensive, from dealing with financial issues through wandering and medical conditions in its 140+ pages For hard copies of this guide, please contact: Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center Phone: 1-800-438-4380 www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers The ADEAR Center is a service of the National Institute on Aging.

Tardive dyskinesia causes involuntary and repetitive movements which are irreversible and incurable. Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is a result of damage to the bodily systems that process dopamine, and is typically caused by exposure to certain prescription medications - including Reglan. The symptoms of TD mimic those of Parkinson’s disease, and are irreversible and incurable. The Tardive Dyskinesia Center offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on tardive dyskinesia symptoms. Additionally, it distributes free support books and informational packets. www.tardivedyskinesia.com

Listserv on Empowering Communities
The Albany Guardian Society, in partnership with Steuben/Allegany Rural Health has established a Listserv dedicated to sharing information and continuing the discussions that began in November 2008 at the NYSOFA co-hosted Empowering Communities for Successful Aging conference. You are invited to share your ideas, experiences and strategies about how to best assist communities in becoming more livable for people of all ages, and especially older New Yorkers. To enroll, go to www.empoweringNYcommunities.org and click on the Join the List Serve box. By joining the List Serve you will have an opportunity to share information about efforts that are underway in your community and you will be able to more easily network with other advocates and learn how communities and organizations are implementing new and exciting programs across the state.

Evidence Database on Aging available
Recently, the Social Work Leadership Institute (SWLI) of the New York Academy of Medicine launched a new resource. The Evidence Database on Aging Care (EDAC), presents a comprehensive, free, searchable index of articles, all of which examine the impact of social work intervention and/or care coordination for older adults. Articles included in the database were published in professional journals from the U.S. and abroad, and represent the latest research in social work interventions. You can visit the site at: http://www.searchedac.org/search.php .

Compendium of Community Aging Initiatives
A Compendium of Community Aging Initiatives was compiled by the Center for Advanced Study of Aging Services at UC Berkeley and includes summaries of 121 community aging initiatives including EPA's recognition program Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging. To review the compendium please see: http://128.255.56.99/web/centeronaging/WhatWeDo/Compendium_of_Community_Aging_Services2010.pdf

University of Miami Launches Ethics and Geriatrics Website
The University of Miami has created a rich website offering curriculum modules on issues such as autonomy, end-of-life choices, long-term care, and more. You can view this new site at: http://www6.miami.edu/ethics/geriatrics/geriatrics_ethics.html (Modules on the right hand side of the page)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Trends in Health Status and Health Care Use Among Older Men, Mabel Crescioni et al, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr024.pdf

The Technical Assistance Centers are a partnership between Family Caregiver Alliance and the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center. The Centers provide technical assistance to the Aging and Lifespan Respite Networks on caregiver and lifespan respite program development. They publish a newsletter to which you can subscribe at: http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=2366

http://consultgerirn.org/resources/media/ The Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training (GITT) videos, developed by the Hartford Institute of Geriatric Nursing, are now freely available on the ConsultGeriRN website (formerly GeroNurseOnline) http://consultgerirn.org/ Studies show that complex patients manage better when their doctors, nurses, gerontologists, pharmacists--every health professional involved in their care (including the patient!)—work together as a team to develop a plan of care. The goal of the GITT Program is to help promote the development of effective patient management across multiple disciplines. The GITT program has produced a toolkit which, along with the videos and the video transcripts, consists of manuals on CD-ROM, which can be downloaded at the following: http://www.gittprogram.org/products.html

Drs. Donna Wagner and Emiko Takagi of Towson University reviewed data from the new national caregiver survey, Caregiving in the U.S. (National Alliance for Caregiving in collaboration with AARP), to examine trends and key findings for caregivers of persons 50+, with an emphasis on the older caregivers themselves. They also made selected comparisons with the 1997 and 2004 NAC/AARP surveys. Although each survey consists of a unique sample, there are questions that are consistent across the three surveys and an operational definition of “caregiver” that is used in the screening to ensure that respondents are representative of the same caregiving population.

www.asbestos.com Mesothelioma Statistics – Did you know that a recent statistic showed that 85% of all mesothelioma cancer cases occur in senior citizens. The Mesothelioma Center offers up-to-date resources for all issues ranging from mesothelioma facts to treatment options.

The Easy-to-Use Guide from the National Institute on Aging is now available FREE from NIA's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center. This easy-to-read, 136-page handbook “Caring for a Person with Alzheimer’s Disease” helps family members and others learn about and cope with the daily changes and challenges of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The comprehensive guide http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publications/caringad provides helpful tips and advice on many excellent topics. You can view it or download a free copy or call the ADEAR Center toll-free at 1-800-438-4380.

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Two New Guides Are Available through Next Step in Care, http://www.nextstepincare.org/ the United Hospital Fund campaign to build strong partnerships between family caregivers and health care professionals, especially during transitions between care settings, unveiled two resources: "Hospital Admissions: How to Plan and What to Expect During the Stay" is written for family caregivers and also will help healthcare professionals prepare patients and families for hospital admissions. This guide is available in Spanish as well as English. "How to Get the Most from the Next Step in Care Website" helps family caregivers and health care professionals find what they need and includes Frequently Asked Questions. For more information, visit: http://www.nextstepincare.org/left_top_menu/Provider_Home/

Manual for Measures of Caring Activities and Outcomes for Children and Young People- Free download by Stephen Joseph, Fiona Becker and Saul Becker, published by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers. This practical ‘hands-on’ Manual is intended to provide researchers and practitioners in the field of caring with relevant and accessible instruments (or tools) for the assessment of caring activities and caring outcomes in children and young people (‘young carers’). The tools can be used on a one-off basis for the purpose of assessment, or pre- and post-intervention to measure change and the impact of support. The instruments in this Manual have been developed and tested with over 500 young carers so can be used with confidence. The Multidimensional Assessment of Caring Activities (MACA-YC18) is a questionnaire (an 18-item self-report measure) that can be used to provide an index of the total amount of caring activity undertaken by the young person, as well as six subscale scores for domestic tasks, household management, personal care, emotional care, sibling care, and financial/practical care. The Positive and Negative Outcomes of Caring (PANOC-YC20) is a questionnaire (20-item self-report measure) that can be used to provide an index of positive and negative outcomes of caring. Additional resources include an extended version of the MACA-YC18 (the MACA-YC42), and two short questionnaires: ‘What I like and dislike about caring’, and ‘Me and my young carers project’. The Manual will be of interest to professionals in the fields of health and social care (including young carers workers, social workers, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, youth workers) as well as those researching care-giving, and caring organisations themselves. Published by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in association with Young Carers International Research and Evaluation, School of Sociology and Social Policy, The University of Nottingham. ISBN 13 9780853582533 Available to download for free from The Princess Royal Trust for Carers website at: http://www.carers.org/professionals/young-carers/assessments,3063,PP.html
And for free from: http://saulbecker.co.uk/v1/downloads/young_carers/Young%20Carers%20Outcomes%20Manual%20April%202009.pdf

The Social Work Leadership Institute’s Evidence Database on Care Coordination and Social Work Intervention Effectiveness - Easy-to-use online database to help scholars, policy analysts, and advocates in aging care stay on top of the latest research and innovations in care coordination and social work intervention effectiveness. The Evidence Database is regularly updated by a professional staff of contributors who filter, review, and catalogue articles published in professional journals both in the U.S. and abroad. Articles included in the database are catalogued along a number of dimensions to provide users with sufficient information to make informed assessments of the relevance, quality and outcomes of the interventions reported.
Welcome Page: http://socialworkleadership.org/nsw/cap/search.php
Search Page: http://socialworkleadership.org/nsw/cap/welcome.php

Catholic Charities AIDS Services provides care and coordination of services to address the needs of those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, in addition to HIV prevention services. www.ccaidsalbany.org.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched an updated version of www.healthfinder.gov, a federal website designed to provide information for people who wish to stay healthy. The site features links to over 6,000 government and nonprofit health information resources on hundreds of health topics. Additionally, a tool called MyHealthFinder provides personalized recommendations for clinical preventive services specific to the user's age and gender. To use this updated site, please visit: www.healthfinder.gov

Reports:
MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services and Home Health Care Costs (2008): In September, the MetLife Mature Market Institute released its results from its annual national survey on the costs of home health aides, homemaker services, and adult day services. While the 2008 national average hourly rate for agency provided homemaker services remained unchanged from 2007 at $18 per hour, the average hourly rate for agency licensed home health aides increased by 5% from $19 in 2007 to $20 in 2008. Adult day services national daily rate increased by 5% from $61 in 2007 to $64 in 2008. It is important to note that rates vary both locally and nationally, and, for the first time in 2008, some home care agencies have added an additional fuel surcharge or mileage fee on top of their base hourly rate. To read the full report:
http://www.metlife.com/FileAssets/MMI/MMIStudies2008ADSHC.pdf

Living and Caring? An Investigation of the Experiences of Older Carers (International Longevity Centre, United Kingdom): In September the International Longevity Centre in the United Kingdom, in collaboration with the NatCen and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, released Living and Caring? An Investigation of the Experiences of Older Carers. The research explores the lives of different groups of older carers in relation to multiple factors such as health, income and quality of life. Key findings include: (a) older carers providing “heavy” care show a markedly lower quality of life compared to equivalent non-carers; and, (b) more than any other characteristic, memory functioning of individuals receiving care that has the biggest influence on the quality of life of older carers. A simultaneously published paper, Living and Caring for All, accompanies the research and relates the findings of the research to strategic questions for public policy regarding the supply and demand of social care in society.
Full Reports:

A web page dedicated to the new child welfare and foster care law, Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008. On this page you can everything you will need to know about what the new law will mean for you, whether you are a caregiver, child, advocate, or child welfare professional. http://www.gu.org/Foste10161796.asp

New York Times Blog Explores Caregiving New York Times reporter Jane Gross has started a blog called The New Old Age: Caring and Coping. It contains articles about various aspects of caregiving and allows readers to write in their own questions, thoughts and reactions. In the blog, Jane Gross shares readers' stories, professional advice, and her own wisdom gleaned from her experience caring for her mother. For more information, visit: New York Times http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/

WISER Releases Booklet to Help Caregivers with Financial Planning The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) recently released a booklet for caregivers called Financial Steps for Caregivers: What You Need to Know about Money and Retirement. It is designed to help caregivers identify financial decisions they may face which can affect both their short-term and long-term financial security. The report can be found in WISER's National Education and Resource Center on Women and Retirement Planning, a one-stop, online gateway that integrates financial information and resources on retirement, health and long-term planning into programs that are already in existence. The Center is funded by a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA). For more information, visit: http://www.wiserwomen.org/pdf_files/stepscaregivers10_05.pdf

FCA Launches First-of-Its-Kind Family Care Navigator The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance has launched the Family Care Navigator. This comprehensive online guide was designed to help families in all 50 states locate government, nonprofit, and private caregiver support programs. The easy-to-use Navigator lists programs for family caregivers as well as resources for older or disabled adults living at home or in a residential facility. It also includes information on government health and disability programs, legal resources, living arrangements, disease-specific organizations, FAQs, a glossary and more. There is no charge to use the Navigator. The Navigator builds on FCA’s 2004 study of publicly-funded programs across the states, and is the newest feature on Family Caregiver Alliance's award-winning website at www.caregiver.org. The Family Care Navigator is funded in part by a grant from the Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundation.

FCA’s Audio Workshops For Family Caregivers Available Free Online, 24/7 FCA added a new feature to its website, an online audio archive of TeleCaregivingsm Workshops. Originally presented over the phone to thousands of caregivers and health professionals, the popular workshops offer caregivers the unique opportunity to learn practical care skills from expert instructors without leaving the comfort or convenience of their home or office. Each title in the archive is available free, 24 hours a day, and includes an audiofile (podcast) and companion written materials. You'll find the TeleCaregivingsm Audio Workshop Archive on FCA’s website under "Fact Sheets & Publications."

The Commissioner of OMH and the Director of NYSOFA are to annually report to the Governor and Legislature a long-term plan regarding the geriatric mental health needs of the residents of the State and recommendations to address those needs. The 2006 report represents the first report since the enactment of the Geriatric Mental Health Act.
(April 18, 2007)

Three state agencies today unveiled a comprehensive planning approach to better identify and address local needs while improving services for those dealing with addiction, mental illness, and developmental disabilities. Commissioners Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo (OASAS), Michael F. Hogan, PhD. (OMH), and Diana Jones Ritter (OMRDD) partnered to develop integrated Local Services Plan Guidelines for Mental Hygiene Services, which allows state budgeting to better reflect needs at the local level.
(March 10, 2008)

NIHSeniorHealth Offers Tips on Eating Well as You Get Older -- consumer focused.
See: http://nihseniorhealth.gov/eatingwellasyougetolder/toc.html

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Policy oriented: A new web site, RetirementPolicy.org can help policymakers and the public sort through retirement trends and policy options. The site highlights UI’s latest research on Social Security, private pensions, employment and volunteerism at older ages, medical and long-term care costs, and how all these issues affect federal budgets. Special web features show how the older population is growing and changing, and describe options for revitalizing Social Security. Available publications include reports, briefs, congressional testimonies, opinion pieces, and data snapshots. RetirementPolicy.org is a project of UI’s Retirement Policy Program, which analyzes how government policies, private-sector practices, and demographic trends influence older Americans’ security and decision-making. See: http://www.urban.org/retirement_policy/

Economic Value of Family Caregiving
Millions of family caregivers provide billions of dollars worth of care to loved ones each year, according to a new AARP study released on June 25, 2007. AARP estimates the economic value of family caregiving to have been $350 billion in 2006. In New York State, the estimated value of care that year was $24 billion. The complete study can be accessed here.

Family Caregiver Alliance: The State of the States in Family Caregiver Support: A 50-State Study
http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1220
The report is available as a downloadable PDF document. In addition to the full report, select portions of the report are also available. The goal of the study was to profile the experience of all 50 states and the District of Columbia since the passage of the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) in providing publicly funded caregiver support services to family and informal caregivers of older people and adults with disabilities.

State-Specific Facts about Family Caregivers
A new report entitled “Family Caregiver Support: State Facts at a Glance” was released by the National Association of State Units on Aging (NASUA) and the National Conference of State Legislatures. It provides information, facts, and statistics about family caregivers in each state. The report, compiled with funding from the U.S. Administration on Aging, outlines state-level programs that support family caregivers and looks at relevant state legislation relevant to caregivers. View the complete report. For more information, contact Anna F. Lobosco, Ph.D., Deputy Executive & DD Program Development Specialist IV, NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) at 518-486-7505 or 800-395-3372, or send an e-mail to alobosco@ddpc.state.ny.us.

Caregiving in Rural America
Easter Seals and the National Alliance for Caregiving are pleased to announce the release of Caregiving in Rural America, a report aimed at bringing to light and supporting the need to address the ever-increasing numbers and unmet needs of rural caregivers. It includes data on the use of respite services, pointing to the critical shortage of such services in rural areas. The report concludes with a call to action that urges more research be done on caregiving in rural America and identifies some next steps to address specific rural caregiving needs.

Disability Community
Although focused on activities in Maryland, Virginia, and DC, the World of Possibilities Magazine has some information of general applicability. Click on http://magazine.caringcommunities.org/ to get a copy FREE.

Catholic Charities Programs and Services Offered in Each County
http://www.ccrcda.org/
This web-site is the main Catholic Charities site for the Albany Diocese. It gives an overview of the programs and services offered in each county.

Health Information in Your Wallet
This link takes you to two versions of a medical health report to record health information to be shared with new doctors, hospitals, ER's, etc. Having this completed and in your wallet could prove very helpful for all of us—clients and professionals alike! http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/healthinfo/personal_medical_problem_list_intro.htm

Mental Health Services Locator: New York
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/kdata.aspx?state=NY
This site provides a directory for mental health services and facilities. It includes linkage to topics such as suicide, substance abuse, family support, and financing information.

MedlinePlus Information on Caregiving
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/caregivers.html
This site provides information on such topics as coping, financial issues, specific conditions of care-receivers, caregiving terms, clinical trials, and laws and policies.

Nationwide Directory of Caregiver Support Services
http://www.caregivers-usa.org/
Caregivers-USA is a nation-wide directory of community-based caregiver support services.

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/cs/home
The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is an association representing 1,300 organizations providing treatment and rehabilitation to help people recover from mental illnesses and addiction disorders. National Council members serve nearly six million adults, children, and families in communities across America. It offers a vital safety net to some of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society — Medicaid beneficiaries, the uninsured, the destitute and homeless, children in foster care, older adults, those with HIV/AIDS, veterans, and those in our criminal and juvenile justice systems. The people its members treat live with their families or alone; some are in hospitals, jails, or juvenile detention facilities and others are in residential programs, foster care, or group homes.

New York State Nursing Homes
Use this site to get information about nursing homes in New York State and the quality of care they provide. The quality measures data are from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Looking at Your Options
http://www2.careplanner.org/
Care Planner is a site dedicated to helping seniors and their caregivers chose between different living options.

National Alliance for Caregiving
http://www.caregiving.org/
This web-site provides free brochures and information on studies and research related to the caregiving community.

Family Caregiving Alliance
http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/home.jsp
The National Center on Caregiving offers fact sheets, advice, research reports, public policy briefs, and newsletters.

National Family Caregivers Association
http://www.nfcacares.org/
This site links caregivers to resources, agencies, and organizations. It provides tips and guides to help caregivers be proactive.

Colonie Senior Service Centers is an independent, community-based nonprofit corporation serving the largest population of seniors over 60 in the Capital Region with adult day services, transportation services, senior dining programs, health and recreation programs, housing services, and a home maintenance program.

Bright Horizons Senior Centers offers information about their three adult day services locations in the Capital Region, a Caregivers Resource Center, Respite Care and Virtual Caregiving Services.

Expanded In-home Services for the Elderly (EISEP)
EISEP services include non-medical in-home services such as housekeeping, ... EISEP services support and supplement informal care provided by clients’

Research Articles on Aging
The Aging Research Translator (ART) is a new web blog that summarizes and translates aging research articles published in peer reviewed academic journals on a weekly basis. The purpose of ART is to make valuable aging research more accessible to community based practitioners and programs so they may apply the knowledge to enhance the field of aging services.

ElderNet Website
http://www.eldernetworkny.org/site/1/home.aspx
ElderNet's new and improved website is chock full of information and opportunities for interactions and information sharing. Register for free and have information come to your inbox as well.

End-of-Life Care
http://www.pdcronline.com/
This website offers help on end-of-life care to caregivers of persons with dementia. Family members and professionals caring for persons with dementia who are at the end of life can now find information, news, and a forum to exchange ideas, in one easy-to-use Web site called “Palliative Dementia Care Resources Online” There is no cost to use the Web site.

Evidence Database
http://socialworkleadership.org/nsw/cap/ebp.php
The Center for Social Work Leadership, a Project of the New York Academy of Medicine, has created an "Evidence Database" to help scholars, policy analysts, and advocates stay on top of the latest research and innovations in aging care, including health care, social services, and work-force issues from professional journals both in the U.S. and abroad. The Evidence Database is regularly updated and allows you to refine your search through multiple keywords and categories.

Caregivers Assessment Toolkit
http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1695
"Caregivers Count Too: An Online Toolkit to Help Practitioners Assess the Needs of Family Caregivers" (2007). The National Caregivers Alliance provides this step-by-step resource filled with practical information and resources. It's designed for program administrators and practitioners to help them sharpen caregivers’ awareness that family caregivers are an at-risk population in need of assessments to determine their own physical, emotional and financial problems.

Resources in the Capital Region
www.eldernetworkny.org
This website provides information on an array of services available in the Capital Region (including Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties) for older adults, families, caregivers, and providers. The site provides a searchable catalog of local service providers.

Avoiding Falls
To keep up to date on fall-prevention research, tools, and programs, visit the fall-prevention website of the National Council on Aging (NCOA)'s Center for Healthy Aging. It describes the Falls Free Coalition (a group of national organizations and state coalitions), offers a list of recommended resources, and publishes an e-newsletter.

Identifying the Best Home Safety Practices
In collaboration with the Home Safety Council and the Falls Free Coalition, the Home Safety Workgroup of the National Council on Aging is seeking to identify and promote 10 "Creative and Best Practices in Home Safety Assessment and Modification." Visit http://www.healthyagingprograms.org.

Alzheimer’s Association
http://www.alz.org/
Provides information on Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's Association of Northeastern NY
http://www.alzneny.org
This website offers a 24-hour helpline, regional information, and event listings. It explains the organization's mission and the vital services and support that it provides to people with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s Resource Room
http://www.aoa.gov/alz
This site contains information and facts regarding Alzheimer’s disease and other resources available to caregivers.

Center for Excellence in Aging Services
http://www.albany.edu/aging/
This web-site provides information on the research center. The Center for Excellence in Aging Services is a research center that "develops, tests, and implements innovative practices and policies that address the needs of aging persons, their families, and caregivers."

Elder Care Locator: Connecting you to Community Services
http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare/Public/Home.asp
The service links those who need assistance to state and local area agencies on aging and community-based organizations that serve older adults and their caregivers.

Elder Network of the Capitol Region
http://www.albany.edu/aging/ENCR/mission.htm
The Elder Network of the Capital Region promotes a consortium of health networks, state and local government, provider agencies, faith communities, and the University at Albany, with the active participation of older persons, to prepare communities and individuals for aging.

Empowering Caregivers
http://www.care-givers.com/
This site provides information, message boards, readings, greeting cards, a humor section, and so much more.

National Family Caregiver Association
http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/
Provides information for caregivers, especially regarding education and support.

NIH Senior Health
http://nihseniorhealth.gov/
Provides information on health for the senior population.

OASIS for Personal Growth
http://www.oasisnet.org/
OASIS is a national not for profit education organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of mature adults. "Offering challenging programs in the arts, humanities, wellness, technology and volunteer service, OASIS creates opportunities for older adults to continue their personal growth and provide meaningful service to the community."

Senior Services of Albany
http://www.seniorservicesofalbany.com/
Provides information on the services available to seniors in the Capital Region. Such services include Meals on Wheels and the Elder Source Line.

The National Family Caregiver Support Program: Resource Room
http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/caregiver.asp
Provides “information about The National Family Caregiver Support Program, including: where you can turn for support and assistance, and providing services to caregivers”.

AARP Foundation Grandparent Information Center
The GIC Voice is a free quarterly newsletter from the AARP Foundation Grandparent Information Center (GIC) for grandparents raising grandchildren. To order the newsletter in English or Spanish, send your name and full postal mailing address, the titles and stock numbers (The GIC Voice Newsletter English, Stock #D15536, or The GIC Voice Newsletter Spanish, Stock #D18134), and how many copies you are requesting of each (English and/ or Spanish) in an e-mail to member@aarp.org, or write to AARP Fulfillment, 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049. For more information, visit www.aarp.org/families/grandparents/gic/.
The Center's Local Grandparent Support Database provides information for grandparents or families in need of kinship services. http://www.giclocalsupport.org/pages/gic_db_home.cfm

AARP: Grandparents
http://www.aarp.org/families/grandparents/
This AARP website has information for kinship caregivers on issues that may occur with either the child or caregiver. It focuses on relationship building and healthy living.

Administration for Children and Families
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/
The Administration for Children and Families, ACF, is a federal agency that funds state, territory, local, and tribal organizations to provide family assistance (welfare), child support, child care, Head Start, child welfare, and other programs relating to children and families.

Books for Children and Adult Caregivers
http://www.erie.gov/depts/seniorservices/rac/introduction.phtml
This web-site provides information about resources for grandparents raising grandchildren, such as health care and health insurance, suggested reading, legal information, names of national organizations, and other helpful links to better provide caregivers with needed knowledge and possible answers to important questions.

Video Available
“Developing a Great IEP,” with Gary Mayerson, the latest in Autism Speaks' instructional video series, is now available at autismspeaks.org. The free 12-minute video provides important information for parents or caregivers who are encountering the IEP process for the first time, and has tips for those who have been through the process before. Read more and watch the video here.

Family and Children's Service of the Capital Region
http://fcscapitalregion.org/
Offers family and child services to members of the Capital Region.

Family Education
http://www.familyeducation.com/home/
This is a parenting site; however, it does provide some useful knowledge and tips on parenting children of any age. There are also suggested games and activities for the caregiver and child.

Grandparents for Children's Rights
http://www.grandparentsforchildren.org/
A national coalition of concerned grandparents, citizens, and agencies united to advocate and lobby for substantial and urgent legislative changes that protect the rights of grandparents to secure their grandchildren's health, happiness, and well-being.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
http://www.raisingyourgrandchildren.com/Index.htm
This site provides personal stories and gives tips on such matters as dealing with stress, children's mental disorders, and financial and legal issues. It provides much information that can be useful to grandparent and kinship caregivers.

The Kinship Navigator
http://www.nysnavigator.org
The Kinship Navigator is operated by Rochester's Catholic Family Center and is funded by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. It offers frequently asked questions, fact sheets on laws and resources, extensive lists of resources, targeted services, and forums for caregivers, young people, and service providers. The Kinship Navigator also offers county guides focusing on kinship caregiving and access for caregivers via a toll-free phone number to a kinship specialist. The Kinship Navigator has collected information about resources from all of New York's kinship programs, as well as statewide and national resources. The Kinship Navigator also has gathered information on laws and services from attorneys and other professionals. The Kinship Navigator provides a one-stop shop for access to comprehensive information and resources on all issues facing kinship caregivers.

Family Strengthening
http://www.nassembly.org/fspc/index.html
This website has on it a recent policy release of the National Human Services Assembly on Family Strengthening, an effort funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The policy brief is 20 pages long and worth the read!

Office of Children and Family Services
http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/
This website provides information on programs, services, and resources available to those raising children in New York State.

Prison Families of New York, Inc.
http://www.prisonfamiliesofnewyork.org
Free and confidential information provided to families and friends of prisoners, formerly incarcerated people and their families, and interested community members. It notes, “We keep our families strong by providing accurate prison and parole information and transportation options. Learn about policy, law-making and how to change the criminal justice system. Loss, grief, anger, confusion – we help each other.”