CAREGIVER ISSUES

www.caregiver.on.ca     Caregiver Network Inc.

Canadian site for the caregiver. There is good information for the caregiver presented in an easy way to find.

www.caregiver911.com     Caregiver Survival Resources

Very simple well done site by a couple in the caregiving field for people who are or will become caregivers as well as for seniors who may need a caregiver.

www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~drstall/hndbk0.html     The Caregiver's Handbook

San Diego County Mental Health Services offers a step-by-step guide to the physical and emotional needs of both the caregiver and the patient.

www.nfcacares.org     National Family Caregiver's Association

For the caregiver, NFCA is a non-profit organization in support of caregivers in general. A two-window site, older computers may have a little trouble.

www.biostat.wustl.edu     Caregiver Resources

Collection of links to guides for caregivers, with a focus on Alzheimer's. Find support groups, publications and services.

www.caregivertips.com     Caregiver Tips

Irritating graphic on the homepage, otherwise nicely done site. Links are not in-depth but written by other caregivers.

GRIEF SUPPORT

www.death-dying.com     Death and Dying

A nicely designed site, easy to read and search. Includes information on grief for all ages as well as a Bulletin Board that includes a Spanish version. Some interactive activity.

FUNERAL RELATED

www.jfda.org     The Jewish Funeral Directories of America

Member supported organization of funeral providers for people of the Conservative, Orthodox and Reform faiths of Judaism. Provides listing of funeral provider members.

www.funeralnet.com     FuneralNet

Listings for obituaries, cemeteries and funeral providers. Links for funeral needs as provided by funeral providers.

www.nfda.org     National Funeral Directors Association

Site primarily for the professional funeral provider.

www.fea.org     Funeral Ethics Association

A site for the consumer who has a complaint against a funeral provider and needs mediation. FEA provides guidelines and mediation services at no cost to the consumer.

CEMETERIES

www.findagrave.com     Find A Grave

One can search for grave sites of the famous and not-famous on a nicely laid out site by Jim Tipton. Includes a Store where one may click and order a Find A Grave t-shirt. Site is supported by banner advertising.

www.GenesisMemorials.com    Genesis Memorials

A virtual "cemetery" meaning one can create an obituary on the internet. Also called "memorials". This site is supported by banner advertising and affiliates. The memorial service, at this time, is free.

DISPOSITION

www.cremation.org     Internet Cremation Society

This site is a web portal, meaning one can go to this site and find lots of other sites, all relating to cremation. There is cremation information as well as merchandise and retail sales.

www.theurnstore.com     The Urn Store

A retail site for all kinds of cremation related goods, it is interesting to look at the different merchandise, including urns, pendants, wind chimes, etc. Nicely designed.

www.celestis.com     Celestis

A retail site related to the disposition of cremated remains. Cremated remains can be launched into space. Yes, this is a legitimate site.

www.funerals.org     FAMSA-FCA

A non-profit that disseminates information about planning and funeral costs with local autonomous affiliates throughout the U.S. Well designed but slow to download.

www.summum.org/mummification/     Summum Mummification

The only human mummification business in the U.S. They also do pets. The site is fun to see and the business is legitimate.

END-OF-LIFE ISSUES

www.lastacts.org     Last Acts (review by Los Angeles Times)

Overview:Last Acts is a public education campaign funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropic healthcare organization with a strong interest in end-of-life research. The 3-year old effort aims to build awareness of death-related issues and help individuals and organizations pursue better ways to care for the dying.

What Works:The site is objective and filled with valuable information. The reassuring language and emphasis on palliative (body, mind and spirit) care is comforting, and the resource directory allows you to search for information in the format you want to receive it (brochure, video, download) and often serves as a gateway to information on other Web sites.

What Doesn't: In their zeal to be comprehensive, the site's developers have crowded too much information on the main pages, especially the home page, where dozens of options are poorly organized and in very small type.

www.partnershipforcaring.org     Partnership for Caring (review by Los Angeles Times)

Overview: Now one of the leading groups addressing end-of-life issues, Partnership for Caring America's Voices for the Dying merged with an older group, Choice in Dying, earlier this year. (Predecessors to Choice have been around since 1938 and devised the first living will, in 1967.) Partnership for Caring, started in 1998, promotes patient autonomy about end-of-life medical treatment, including the right to refuse treatment.

What Works: The most popular feature, according to the site's Web master, is a legal package, which you can download or order, consisting of forms for medical power of attorney, organ donation, state-specific living will and designation of a primary physician. You can download state-specific advance directive forms.

What Doesn't: Visitors may dismiss the site's content as shallow unless they know to click "Choice in Dying" and to be persistent. Partnership says the content will soon be merged.

www.growthhouse.org     Growth House

Provides content and referral services for agencies working with death and dying issues.

www.nho.org     National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

Can help you find a hospice program in your area.

SENIOR CITIZEN ISSUES

www.aarp.org     American Association of Retired People

Huge site with lots of stuff. Well organized but be prepared to spend a lot of time going through the site. If you have an older computer the downloads could take a while. There are a few advertisements but they are tastefully done and labeled as such.

www.elderlifeplanning.com     Elder Planning

Gaudy site run by an elder care business but there are helpful links for caregivers and those who wish to plan for the future.

MISCELLANEOUS

www.richardlamb.com     Richard Lamb

High-end graphics so may take a while to download. A funeral service provider with an online approach. The Resource Center does have information on a variety of issues.

ILLNESS/DISEASE

www.umm.edu/cancer/index.html?source=goto     Greenebaum Cancer Center

University of Maryland Medical Center site that has a lot of information. Very busy homepage with small print so you need patience.

www.seniorglobe.com/health/healthframe.htm     Senior Globe.com

Ask Dr. McCune at SeniorGlobe.com for answers and discussions about cancer and health related issues for senior living. Homepage is very busy and can take a while to figure out, but there is a lot of information, not just about cancer but for Senior Citizens in general.

www.carecounsel.com/     Access to Cancer Quality Care Review

Care Counsel helps people facing cancer assess the accuracy, completeness and quality of their treatment recommendations. Plus advocacy and support for the new healthcare consumer. Simple site with resource links.

www.cancerlinksusa.com/     Cancer Links USA

A physician-guided Web site for cancer patients, their families, and caregivers. Lots of information on a very full homepage. Supported by banner advertising.

www.cancer.org     American Cancer Society

Extensive network of information services and organizations fights cancer by providing education and support. Very busy homepage with small print. This is the most well known cancer organization in the U.S.

www.nci.nih.gov     National Cancer Institute

Gateway for information on cancer for patients, the public and media. Features research updates, plus advice on prevention and early detection. Government supported site, very simple to read.

www.aplaceformom.com     A Place For Mom

A referral service for seniors. "We help moms and dads across the nation find Alzheimer's care. Seach from over 25,000 properties or consult one of our family advisors for personal assistance." Nicely designed site.

www.agelessdesign.com/alz.htm     Ageless Design

"Our materials are designed to help you understand the unique challenges of caring for someone with Alzheimer's or a related dementia, and the impact of the home environment on your caregiving." Lots of information.

www.healingwell.com/alzheimers     Healing Well - Alzheimer’s

"HealingWell.com is a thriving community and information resource site to medical news, feature articles, health information, patient stories, message boards and chat rooms, free email, free web pages, newsletters, books, and directories of disease-related web sites for patients, caregivers, and family coping with diseases, disorders, or chronic illness." Go to the box "Choose A Topic" to find the illness/disease of your interest.

www.senior-horizons.net/html/alzheimer_s.html     Senior Horizens - Alzheimer’s

A web site for links including the Alzheimer’s Association web site, the best known organization devoted to Alzheimer’s Disease.

www.carescout.com     Care Scout

Web site provided by Elder Care with care locations, information in general. Nice site.

(return to top)