As a caregiver, you are not alone. In 1995, there were 33 million Americans over the age of 65. In 2020, there will be almost 70 million, doubling in less than 25 years. Over 23 percent of all US households contain at least one caregiver.

This translates into an estimated 22,411,200 caregiving households nationwide. The average caregiver is 46 years old. Seven in 10 caregivers (73 percent) are female. Only 5.5 percent of the over-65 population resides in nursing homes.

The list we have compiled give you quick access to helpful information on the Internet for caregivers; this is in no way an exhaustive list. All of the Web sites that have been selected are easy to access and use, provide quality information, and provide links to additional resources.

Federal and State Benefits

Department of Veterans Affairs
www.va.gov

This government-agency Web site includes information on veterans’ benefits ranging from health care to home loan guarantee services.

Social Security Online
www.ssa.gov

This government-agency Web site provides information on retirement and disability benefits. Users can also sign up for Social Security through this site. The site also contains reports to Congress, statistics, legislation affecting Social Security, and a number of other documents produced by the Social Security Administration. A Spanish version of the site is also available.

Medicare Part D

BenefitsCheckup
www.benefitscheckup.org

A comprehensive online service to screen for federal, state and some local private and public benefits for older adults (ages 55 and over). It contains over 1,350 different programs from all fifty states (including the District of Columbia). On average there are 50 to 70 programs available to individuals per state.

Family Caregiver Alliance
www.caregiver.org

This website provides information on publicly-funded caregiver support programs in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. You will find information on programs funded through the National Family Caregiver Support Program, Aged/Disabled Medicaid waivers, and state-funded programs that either have a caregiver-specific focus, or include a family caregiving component in their service package.

Medicare Part D Information

As you may know in November 2005 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began enrolling seniors and the disabled in a new program called Medicare Part D designed to provide prescription drug coverage for Medicare Beneficiaries. The initial enrollment period ended in May 2006, but every year there will be an open enrollment period from November to December.

The research shows that family caregivers have played a special role in helping their loved ones choose a Medicare Part D plan. If you are currently looking for information on the Part D benefit, the following Web sites can help.

Great Medicare Informational Web Sites:

Medicare/Medicaid Links

CMS–Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly HCFA)
www.cms.hhs.gov

This government-agency Web site provides information about Medicare and Medicaid programs, access to consumer publications and forms, e-mail access to customer service, and local contacts. On the CMS Web site, there are two publications that deal specifically with caregiving.

They are:

Medicare Basics: A Guide for Caregivers (PDF file – 868 KB at Medicare.gov)
This publication leads the caregiver through the eight key “decision points” that relate to the health or overall well-being of an older person. For each of these “decision points,” basic information about Medicare is provided along with suggestions on how to find more detailed information.

Medicare
www.Medicare.gov

This is the official U.S. government site for information on Medicare. At this site, consumers can search for information on health plans, nursing homes, dialysis facilities, Medigap policies, Medicare activities, participating physicians and prescription drug assistance programs in their area. The site also provides information on Medicare basics such as eligibility, enrollment, Medicare cards and replacement card ordering.

Senior Sites
www.seniorsites.com

This site provides a listing of nonprofit senior housing, assisted living facilities, and retirement communities that are members of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. Housing options and levels of care are described, and the directory for over 5,000 communities is searchable by state and county.