Support for Caregivers of Older Adults

• A wide variety of community supports and healthcare resources are available, but finding out which one(s) are best for your older family member can be a confusing task.
• Caregivers can easily become overwhelmed and confused as they search for community supports and healthcare resources, and put off seeking assistance until the situation becomes urgent.
• There are several sources of information, in a variety of formats, on community supports and healthcare resources.

• Caregivers need to know how to locate community supports and healthcare resources to promote their older family member's independence and well being.
• It can be difficult to know where to begin, and it is easy to become overwhelmed with the many directions the search may take.
• Community supports and healthcare resources often overlap, which adds to the confusion. As a result, caregivers may put off seeking assistance until the situation becomes urgent.

Determining Needs

• Explore available supports and resources when issues are first identified. This allows time to look at all available options.
• There may be many questions you need answered when you start to seek out supports and resources. Make a list of questions, start with your most pressing needs, and keep track of information you have received.
• Ask questions one step at a time to find some supports or resources to use to get started. The list of supports and resources you find can be narrowed further as your needs become more defined.
• Information about supports and resources may be in a variety of formats – online, telephone, and referral-based as well as in-person. Also, the availability of some supports and resources may depend on where the older person lives.

Community Supports

Community supports occur in many settings, such as

• faith-based programs
• community-driven programs (e.g., leagues or groups)
• local programs (e.g., Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton, Meals on Wheels)
• advocacy groups (e.g., Seniors Assisting Seniors)
• national programs (e.g., Alzheimers Society).

Some community supports may include services that are available with or without cost (e.g., equipment and homemaking services).

Healthcare Resources

Healthcare resources are typically more formal and structured than community supports. They usually require a referral and may include a cost. These types of resources include the following:

• homecare
• in-home professional health services
• day programs
• day hospitals
• mental health services
• respite services
• rehabilitation services
• equipment assessments
• publicly funded housing supports.

Information Sources

You can learn about the various supports and resources by contacting the following:

• local healthcare programs (e.g., AHS Health Link, AHS Homecare)
• municipal agencies (City of Edmonton, Seniors Advocate)
• community agencies (SAGE – Seniors Associations of Greater Edmonton).

You can find contact information in the local telephone listings or on the Internet. You can get help in accessing supports and resources through your family physician or health care provider, hospital and community-based social workers, and other knowledgeable people within the community.

While the content of each Caregiver College Topic may be linked to a variety of other Topic areas, the following has been identified as a Key Linkage which you may be interested in also reviewing:

• Transitions of Care

Alberta Health Services (AHS)

• Main Website: In addition to emergency and acute care, AHS also provides home care services, outreach programs, continuing care, public health, specialty clinics, mental health services and many rehabilitation and prevention programs.

Government of Alberta

• MyHealthAlberta.ca: The goal of this site is to provide a single place to go for health information and useful health tools—a site that is made in Alberta for Albertans.
• Health Link Alberta: This is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week nurse telephone advice and health information service. You can call Health Link from anywhere in the province by dialing:
• Calgary Zone (403) 943-5465
• Edmonton Zone (780) 408-5465
• Toll-Free 1-866-408-5465

Organizations and Agencies

Alberta Continuing Care Association

• The Alberta Continuing Care Association has produced a care/facility directory for seniors requiring long term care. The directory guides seniors and their families as to how to enter the system for care provided in each Alberta Health Region.

ElderCare Edmonton

• This organization provides seniors with the opportunity to attend a supportive and structured day program that will keep their minds and bodies active while facilitating social interaction.

Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton

• The Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton (SAGE) is a full service not-for-profit seniors' organization whose mandate is to provide a broad range of programs and services that enhance the quality of life for seniors and their families in the greater Edmonton area.

• The members of this organization include more than twenty organizations that provide services to seniors. Links are provided to each member organization.

Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Network

• This network of Albertans is dedicated to increasing awareness and supporting a community response to elder abuse.

Alberta College of Pharmacists

• Patient Resources: This website provides drug information and links to not-for-profit organizations as well as government and professional organizations.

• Find a Pharmacy: This search engine assists people in locating a conveniently located pharmacy.

Alzheimer Society

• On this site, you'll find information on the Alzheimer Society, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, caregiving, research, news, events and more.

Canadian Caregiver Coalition

• The Canadian Caregiver Coalition provides leadership in identifying and responding to the needs of caregivers in Canada.

• Largest not-for-profit seniors housing organization in Alberta, providing affordable, secure housing nad services to more than 3,100 seniors in Edmonton.

Southeast Edmonton Seniors Association (SEESA)

• Provide programs and services that will help seniors maintain and enhance their quality of life

Coalition Des Femmes De l’Alberta

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• A non-profit organization that seeks to act as a voice for Francophone women in Alberta.