In the Spotlight

Link2Care: A Support System No Matter Where You Are

Caregivers for people with dementia face many challenges, especially changes in family roles, daily hands-on care and meeting the high cost of care. However, isolation and lack of information need not be a challenge for those caregivers who have internet access. Link2Care is an internet-based information and support system for family caregivers that provides a continuous link to both web-based and community-based services. The project began in 1999 at Family Caregiver Alliance in San Francisco; in 2001, the Link2Care system was expanded to begin serving caregivers throughout the state, and it is currently available through the California Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs).

Link2Care complements and extends the services provided by professional staff at the CRCs, such as specialized information and assistance, assessment of caregiver and family needs, long- and short-term care planning, counseling, consultation on legal and financial concerns, education, respite services, support groups, and educational programs. Leah Eskenazi, project manager of Link2Care, explained that the program is "an interactive website and discussion group for those who are juggling work and family obligations or those who are isolated by care demands, that allows them to access the services they need at their convenience."

The goals of Link2Care are to provide connections to other caregivers, to increase access to information and advice on issues related to caregiving, and to increase caregiver coping and planning skills. The caregivers enter a password-protected site that provides up-to-date information on research, care, and policy trends; access to interactive discussion groups; connections to an expert panel of professionals in the fields of caregiving, law, and medicine; a personal journal; and a zipcode-sorted database that provides information on the educational events being held nearest to the caregiver's location.

For some caregivers, the community of Link2Care can go a long way toward combating their feelings of isolation, proving a truism support-group veterans have long known: Knowing that you are not alone, that others have similar situations and stories to share, is more comforting than you might imagine. For information on how to join Link2Care, contact your local Caregiver Resource Center, or click here.

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