Get Help Florida Website

Do you need help finding benefits, housing, job resources, or legal help? The Get Help Florida website provides links to government agencies and non-profits who can help you. The site has a list of resources to help Seniors here. 

The Get Help Florida site was created by the Pasco County Public Library Cooperative with funds from a Library Services and Technology Act grant. The site is intended to be a statewide portal to valuable E-government resources for those in need of help.The Get Help Florida site organizes hundreds of resources by category, enabling users to quickly and easily locate agencies that can assist them, no matter what their need.                                                         

The March/April Issue of the Elder Update is Available

The Florida Department of Elder Affairs publishes a bimonthly newsletter, the "Elder Update", for Florida Seniors. The current issue includes articles about:

• Alzheimer's Disease Initiative
•  Social Security Spouse Benefits
•  Ambassadors for Aging Day
•  How to Make Tough Decisions as a Caregiver
•  National Consumer Protection Week

You can download the current issue here. Alternatively, you can sign up for a print subscription here.

Florida Caregiving Survey

The AARP partnered with the "Hospice of the Florida Suncoast" and "Florida Hospice and Palliative Care" to survey AARP members living in Florida. The survey investigated caregiving and end of life issues.

Survey highlights include:

• 13% of survey respondents provide unpaid care for a relative, spouse, friend, or partner.
• 45% of caregivers have been providing care for 1-5 years.
• 39% of caregivers spend 6-20 hours a week providing care.
• 39% of caregivers spend over 20 hours a week providing care.
  
• 40% would like information about available caregiving resources.
• 90% have heard of hospice services.
• 64% have talked with their spouse, partner, or family member about their wishes for end of life care.
  

The full report can be found here.

How to Find Caregiver Support Programs by State

The Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) has recently created a database for publicly-funded caregiver support programs. This database is called "Caregiving across the States" and it can be accessed by clicking one's state on a map or by choosing the state from a drop down menu. The information includes details about specific caregiving programs, including eligibility requirements, the geographic regions served by the programs, and the services provided by each program. For example, program services may include assistive technology, caregiver training, supplies, counseling, homemaker assistance, and respite care.

Links for Florida services:

• General Information
  
• Services for Family Caregivers
  
• Services for Care Recipients Living at Home
  
• Government Health and Disability Programs
  
• Disease-Specific Organizations
  
• other types of services
  

In addition, there is a wealth of statistical information about caregivers and the cost of caregiving in each state. The Florida statistical information is here.

The Family Caregiver Alliance is a community-based nonprofit organization. The FCA website is a great resource for older adults and for caregivers. There are useful fact sheets in English, Spanish, and Chinese; research reports; caregiving advice; and links to online support groups.