The World Wide Web is a fantastic resource for finding information on just about anything that's imaginable. What's nice about it, providing that one has a computer and Internet access, is that this information can be found while sitting at home. This is a great timesaver, especially for caregivers and busy family members trying to juggle all their own responsibilities as well as helping an aging loved one.

In recent years, the number of Web sites geared towards aging issues and caregiver support has exploded. Caregivers, especially those who are new to caregiving, usually absorb #- like sponges #- information on their loved one's situation.

Through my Caregiver Support Program at the Cayuga County Office for the Aging, I frequently recommend many Web sites to family members who are looking for answers to problems or issues they face. Below are a few examples of reputable sites:

€ Most Americans understand why it's important to plan for the future. But when it comes to providing care for an aging loved one, most families don't have a plan until they have a problem. AARP has a very good resource on its site. “Prepare to Care: A Planning Guide for Families” is a straight-forward guide designed to help your family make sure that potential new responsibilities are anticipated, talked about and responsibly addressed. Visit aarp.org and search for “Prepare to Care.”

€ The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care also has a Web site, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to provide information and resources to help you and your family plan for future long-term care needs. Visit www.longtermcare.gov

€ Caregiving is about individuals and their interrelationships over time and through the course of illness and recovery (or death). There are many good resources online that will serve to guide caregivers through that journey. A good site to start with is the National Institute on Aging at www.nia.nih.gov. Search for information on the most common medical diagnoses and current research as well as link to other health and aging organizations. The various disease-related associations such the Alzheimer's or Parkinson's Associations, American Cancer Society, Arthritis Foundation, American Heart or Diabetes Association, etc. all have Web sites with information about the specific disease, services available and patient/family supports. You can do a search for links on these or any other organizations applicable to the specific disease.

€ ElderCareOnline is a great online resource for families giving care at home. It covers subjects ranging from pain, to communications problems, to advance directives and more. It has especially good articles about family dynamics and communicating effectively with aging parents. Visit www.ec-online.net.

€ AARP's Web site also has a good Caregiving section. This site has links for information on several topics such as: Caring for Parents, Long-Term Care Guide, Housing Choices, Driver Safety: When To Stop Driving, End of Life Care, Grief and Loss and Final Details.

Visit www.aarp.org/families/caregiving/.

€ Caring for a loved one with dementia, Alzheimer's or a closely related memory problem is highly demanding work. AlzOnline: Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Online provides education, information and support to persons caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or a related memory problem.

Visit alzonline.phhp.ufl.edu/. Recently, the quality and quantity of information about Alzheimer's Disease, current research, treatments and support programs has improved significantly.

There are a multitude of Web pages, downloadable PDFs of reports and some printed products are available from multiple universities (e.g. Rush University, Hunter College Brookdale Center), health care providers (e.g. Mayo Clinic), federal and state agencies and private organizations (e.g. Johnson and Johnson). Search efforts will provide too many resources to count. Remember, though, to pay most attention to resources from recognizable organizations, as suggested above.

As always, our Caregiver Resource Library has available books, videos and brochures for caregivers to borrow. Also, for those who do not have access to a computer, I may be able to provide the information from the Web sites of interest. Please give me a call at 253-1103, and I will be glad to assist in locating needed resources.

Janet Taylor is an aging services specialist at the Cayuga County Office for the Aging