How can eHealth tools help support me as a family caregiver?

We are a nation of caregivers. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), in any given year more than 65 million people in the United States provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend. On average, family caregivers spend 20 hours per week providing care for their loved one. Thirteen percent of family caregivers spend 40 hours a week or more on caregiving.

The role of family caregiver brings with it numerous physical, emotional, and financial challenges. Family caregivers may find solutions to some of these challenges among the resources listed on other pages of this Tools You Can Use guide. But several organizations also offer resources specifically geared towards helping family caregivers understand and cope with difficult circumstances.

The Department of Health and Human Services or the U.S. Government does not endorse any product, service or general policies of any non-Federal entity nor is responsible for the content of any individual organization’s material or web pages found at these links.

Below, learn more about:

• General family caregiver support
• Tools and services for caregivers

General family caregiver Support Several organizations work to raise awareness of the challenges faced by family caregivers, and many provide online and in-person support networks to help caregivers connect to one another.	National Family Caregivers Association	A national advocacy organization for family caregivers, the NFCA website also offers a large library of support materials and connections to support communities.
	National Alliance for Caregiving	A national advocacy organization for family caregivers, the NAC particularly highlights news and legislation relevant to caregivers.
	Caregiver’s Survival Network	The Caregiver’s Survival Network offers several methods of connecting family caregivers to one another, and also provides a blog with news and features of interest to caregivers.
	Veterans Administration (VA) Caregiver Support	The VA’s caregiver support site offers a large number of resources and tools for family caregivers looking after veterans. In addition to the web site, the VA also offers a telephone support line.
	American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Caregiving Site	AARP offers a wide variety of information and resources for caregivers, as well as access to a telephone support line.
	Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Support	A collection of caregiver information and resources specifically geared towards family caregivers working with a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association also offers connections to local support groups, and access to a telephone helpline for caregivers.
Tools and other services for family caregivers	Many Strong	A site allowing family caregivers to create mini-communities of family members and volunteers to work together and stay informed about a loved one in need of care.
	CarePlanners	A paid service to help caregivers and others navigate the complexities of the health care system.
	Help Near Home	A VA-provided resource to help family caregivers of veterans identify local resources such as long-term care facilities and home hospice services.
	Technology for Caregivers	A blog post from the Caregiver’s Survival Network highlighting apps and other technology tools designed to help family caregivers.