Funded in Part by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

WVCaregivers.org is an online resource created to provide support,
assistance and services to West Virginia caregivers and their families.

A step-by-step guide to help you talk with family about your future health care decisions.

How to create a Living Will and understanding Medical Powers of Attorney.

Use this map to learn about caregiving resources available in West Virginia.

A listing of state, regional and national online resources related to caregiving.

For Caregiver Support Groups and other programs in your area, please contact your local Senior Center.

Do you have a suggestion for this website or an addition to the list of services?  Please contact us at:

(304) 293-3129: phone
(304) 293-2700: fax
wvcaregivers@hsc.wvu.edu

Caregivers & Families

• Well Spouse Association

• Taking Care of Others

• Taking Care of Yourself

• Family Conversation

• Creating and Action Plan

Health Care Professionals

• Supporting Caregivers

• Online Resources

• Advanced Directives

• Literature Request

West Virginia Links

• WV Bureau of Senior Services

• WV Health Care Association

• WVU Center on Aging

• WVDHHR

News & Announcements
 

• Love Yourself Health Weekend
  Prevention is the best medicine. Better Health and Wellness Ministry is sponsoring presentations, beginning on Friday, February 12 and will continue on Saturday, February 13 with a Wellness Health Fair and Tai Chi for Arthritis Clinic at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 520 Kanawha Blvd. West, in Charleston.



• New Website - Age in Place
  The National Aging in Place Council launched a new Web site last week in conjunction with Aging in Place Week 2009. The site helps link older adults with services in their neighborhood. http://www.ageinplace.org/



• Visit the BenefitsCheckUp® Website
  The National Council On Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp®, the nation’s most comprehensive online service that helps older adults with limited income and resources search for benefits programs. With winter on the horizon, BenefitsCheckUp® is ready to help older adults in need find and apply for benefits such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. BenefitsCheckUp® is free for consumers and has helped more than 2 million people identify benefits valued at more than $7 billion. http://www.benefitscheckup.org/



• Caring Times
  Caring Times is a newsletter that addresses the concerns of family Caregivers of older adults and people living with a disability. The newsletter, which is published four times a year, contains informative articles and resources that can be accessed on line. To view the latest edition or subscribe to the newsletter, visit www.caringtimes.org.
  
  Caring for a Person with Alzheimer’s Disease: Your Easy-to-Use Guide from the National Institute on Aging This document is now available free from NIA’s Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center. This easy-to-read, 136-page handbook helps family members and others learn about and cope with the daily changes and challenges of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease. The comprehensive guide provides helpful tips and advice on topics including helping family members and others understand Alzheimer’s Disease; health, safety, legal, and financial issues; daily care and adapted activities; caring for the caretaker; medical issues and medication use; getting help and finding long-term care; coping with the last stages of Alzheimer’s Disease; and participating in clinical trials. To view, download, or order free copies of Caring for a Person with Alzheimer's Disease, visit http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/CaringAD or call the ADEAR Center toll-free at 1-800-438-4380. Bulk quantities (25 or more) may be ordered by visiting www.niapublications.org/adearorder/bulk.asp.



• 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures
  This report, recently released by the Alzheimer’s Association, provides a statistical resource for U.S. data related to Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, as well as other dementias. Information in this year’s Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures includes the overall number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease nationally and for each state, estimates for short-term and lifetime risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias different ages. Caregiving data and financial impact of Alzheimer’s disease are also presented, among many other important topics. To view the document, please visit http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_alzfactsfigures2009.pdf



• Home Safety Council - it is an online resource available to help adults identify common injury dangers throughout the home, including falls. To help caregivers keep family members safe during each phase of life, the website will soon include special sections targeted to new parents and caregivers of older adults.



• Alzheimer's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery
  
  The National Institute on Aging released a new edition of Alzheimer's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery, an illustrated, 80-page book written for people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), their families, health care professionals, students, and others with an interest in the disease. This update to the 2003 edition of Unraveling the Mystery helps readers understand AD, its impact on individuals and society, and research advances to prevent or diminish the effects of the disease. The new edition describes the basics of the healthy brain, focuses on changes that occur in a brain affected by AD, highlights findings from recent NIA-funded research into the causes of AD, new developments in diagnosis, and the search for new treatments, and addresses issues of concern to AD caregivers and families. The book also includes a glossary, a comprehensive list of organizations offering more information, and a list of recommended reading. To view, download, or order copies of Alzheimer's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery, go to: www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/Unraveling or call NIA's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at 1-800-438-4380.



• Lunch & Learn Program to Help Local Caregivers
  
  The Alzheimer’s Association, West Virginia Chapter will offer free monthly workshops about Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving in each of the three Chapter offices. Each month the workshops will cover a different topic about Alzheimer’s disease and the ins and outs of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Workshops will be held in Charleston, Parkersburg and Morgantown at the Alzheimer’s Association office in each of those cities. The Charleston workshops will be held on the third Wednesday of each month and the Morgantown and Parkersburg workshops will be held the third Tuesday, all occurring at noon.
  
  Topics will range from the basics of Alzheimer’s disease to communication best practices and care planning. These workshops are designed to provide family and professional caregivers best practices and resources to aid in their care for a loved one or family member. The workshops are held over a brown bag lunch and only last an hour to aid busy professionals who may be caring for a loved one at home. The workshops are free and open to the public. For more information about a lunch and learn near you please contact the Alzheimer’s Association, West Virginia Chapter at 1.800.491.2717 or online at www.alz.org/wv.