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Support Resources
Nursewise/Nurse Advice Line
The Nurse Advice Line is a free health information phone line. You can call to get answer to your health questions 24 hours a day – 365 days a year. The registered nurses answering the calls have spent a lot of time caring for people. They are ready and eager to help you.
The services listed below are available by calling 1-877-617-0390 (TTY 1-877-617-0392):
- Medical advice
- Health information library
- Answers to questions about your health
- Advice about a sick child
- Help with scheduling PCP appointments
- Translation services
Sometimes you may not be sure if you need to go to the emergency room (ER). Call the Nurse Advice Line. They can help you decide where to go for care. If you have an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Resources:
- Caregiving Glossary
- Alzheimer’s and Dementia
- Alzheimer's Association Caregiver Center
- You can find educational videos created by the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program. The videos cover:
- Sundowning
- Wandering
- Bathing
- Repetition
- Hallucinations
- Refusal to take medications
- Alzheimers.gov has material about the diagnosis, training and support for caregivers.
- The Family Caregiver Alliance put together a fact sheet to help caregivers understand behaviors typical of those living with dementia.
- Home safety tips by the Alzheimer’s Association
- Coping with Challenging Behaviors
- Dealing with Difficult Behavior fact sheet from the National Caregivers Library
- Family Caregivers Online - Behavior and Emotions of Aging
- Family Caregiver Alliance - Behavior Management Strategies
- Legal topics to consider
- End of Life
- Housing
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Call Center - 775-784-8090 or 1-800-273-8255
Compassionate assistance to people in any type of crisis
Friendship Line - 1-800-971-0016
A crisis hotline and a warmline for non-urgent calls. This line provides support services such as:
- Suicide prevention
- Emotional support
- Elder abuse prevention and therapy
- Well-being checks
- Grief support
- Information and referrals for older adults or adults with disabilities
1-800-971-0016
Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Support Line - 1-800-272-3900
211 Program
The 2-1-1 program is a free, private service to help find local resources, including:
- Food and nutrition programs
- Shelter and housing resources
- Utilities support
- Disaster relief
- Employment
- Addiction prevention and rehabilitation programs
- Reentry support for ex-offenders
- Support groups
- Safe help out of an abusive situation
Call 2-1-1 to speak with a service expert in your area.
- Caregiver Nation (caregivernation.org)
- Caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias
- Smart Patients Caregiver Community
- A partnership between Family Caregiver Alliance and Smart Patients to create an online community for individuals and their caregivers.
- Find a nearby support group by calling your local Area Agency on Aging or using the Eldercare Locator
- AARP Online Caregiver Community
- Alzheimer’s/Dementia Specific: ALZConnected®
- Caregiver Action Network’s Care Community
Caring for someone is rarely easy and can take much of your time. To help care for a loved one, caregivers need to make time to care for themselves.
Keep in mind the tips below to help you take care of yourself:
- No one is perfect. You will make mistakes.
- Many emotions surface when you are caring for another.
- Depression is a common experience while caregiving.
- Think you may be affected by caregiver depression? Depression - What it is and What it is Not
- Give yourself and your loved one honest expectations.
- Use the info and resources available to you.
- Know the skills needed to care for your loved one. Be honest about what you can and cannot do.
- Learn to say No.
- Take help from others.
- Be resilient.
- Know your own stress triggers.
- For successful coping:
- Eat right
- Exercise
- Sleep
Helpful Fact Sheet:
Nutrition Resources:
Other Resources:
- AARP
- Eldercare Locator - 1.800.677.1116
- Caregiver Action Network (CAN)
- Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
- Stroke - 1-800-STROKES (787-6537)
- Brain Injury Association of America
- Serious Mental Illness - 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Disability.gov
- U.S. Living Will Registry®
- MedlinePlus: End of Life Issues
- Dementia/Alzheimer’s - 1-800-272-3900
- Family Caregiver Alliance - 1-800-445-8106
- National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD)