SUPPORT

FAMILY SUPPORT

In This Section

• Family Support

Family Support

Coping with and caring for a family member or grieving for one calls on the depths of inner strength – both physical and emotional. Your doctors and hospital social worker can refer you to local sources for support and respite, and the Internet can also be a source of comfort – especially if leaving the house is difficult.

Important: There are sites that provide reliable scientific information that has been researched, and there are sites, usually identified as groups or chat rooms, that are online communities of other patients or family members where you can share your hopes and frustrations.

Medline Plus is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. This is a great place to find research-based information. Their alphabetical list of links to Organizations by Health Topics is quite comprehensive. From the links found there, you can find other links to suit your needs and interest.

Below are common topics with a few research-based and support group sites to get you started.

Bereavement Support

• Beyond Indigo: Changing the Way You Feel About Grief and Loss
• Counseling for Loss & Life Changes
• When a Child Dies
• Wade.org

find more resources at ask.com grief support groups

Birth Defects

• National Down Syndrome Society
• Cerebral Palsy
• March of Dimes

find more resources at ask.com birth defects

Birth Defects Support

• Family-Friendly Fun
• March of Dimes: Share your Story
• Support groups for patients, families and professionals

find other resources at ask.com using your own search topic

Brain Injury

• Brain Injury Association of Connecticut, Inc. (BIAC)
• The Brain Injury Information Network
• Brain Injury Association of America

Brain Injury Support

• TBINET Support Groups
• While You are Waiting (coma information & support)
• Living with Brain Injury: Survivor’s Voice

Caregiver Support

• Caregiving.com
• Connecticut Family Caregiver Support
• Family Caregiver Alliance: Connecticut Programs
• National Alliance for Caregiving

find other resources at ask.com caregiver

Disabilities

• Easter Seals
• Amputee Coalition of America: Information Center
• American Council of the Blind: Helpful Resources
• Assistive Devices
• Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access
• Disability Resources on the Web
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
• National Stroke Association

Elder Care

• Alzheimer’s Association
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
• American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

Paralysis

• Surviving Paralysis
• National Spinal Cord Injury Association
• Paralyzed Veterans of America
• Paralysis Project of America: Paralysis Information Links