Other Helpful Resources
Other Helpful Resources
Help These Amazing Organizations to Continue
to Help Others
Non-profit organizations are instrumental in helping individuals and families to cope with some of the most difficult challenges we can face in our lifetime. Listed below are some of these really special organizations. They provide essential assistance, information, support groups and numerous other resources to help the people they serve. We have provided "live" web addresses for each organization. Just click on the address and go directly to their website to learn about all of the ways in which they can help you to better cope with your particular challenges.
In recognition of the contributions these organizations make each and every day, Living Smart asks that you consider making a contribution - even if just $1 - to at least one of those listed below by clicking on their link and following the instructions on their websites to make a donation. If there are organizations other than those we have included that are more meaningful to you, please make a donation to them if you prefer.
All of the resources included on the Living Smart Guides website are provided at no cost to you so we ask that you too do your part to "pay it forward" if you are able by making a donation, no matter how small.
Alzheimer’s Foundation: www.alzfdn.org
The Alzheimer's Foundation provides comprehensive and practical help in dealing with all aspects of living with Alzheimer's disease on a day to day basis including medical information and up-to-date research findings; essential tips on how to cope with Alzheimer's symptoms and complications; care giving help and resources, financial and legal planning and much, much more.
American Diabetes Association: www.diabetes.org
The American Diabetes Association addresses all issues related in preventing and living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Their website provides essential information about diagnosis,medical treatments and care giving, diet and fitness tips to avoid developing diabetes or to better live with it once diagnosed, insurance related issues, community support in your area, reference materials, etc.
American Heart Association: www.heart.org
The American Heart Association is a leader in medical research, education and all other aspects of heart disease. Their website helps you to understand all of the variations of heart disease, how to live a heart healthy life, contributing factors to heart disease, care giving tips and resources for those dealing with heart disease, CPR and other emergency medical actions, provides up to date medical information and research findings, and all other matters related to heart disease.
ASPCA: www.aspca.org
The ASPCA specializes in fighting cruelty to all animals but they also provide comprehensive information about the day to day care for pets including behavior issues, diet, medical matters, locations of pet adoption sites throughout the U.S., adoption tips, where to find a shelter in your area, and much much more.
Brain Injury Association of America: www.biausa.org
Whether through a stroke, accident, illness or other causes, brain injuries result in a wide range of damage unique to each person. The Brain Injury Association is at the forefront of all issues related to brain injury, medical research, education and care on a day to day basis for individuals and families living with brain injuries. Their website provides easy to understand explanations of how the brain works and the many types of brain injuries as well as medical information and available resources and community support your area.
Cancer Support Community: www.cancersupportcommunity.org
The Wellness Community and Gilda's Club Worldwide joined forces to become The Cancer Support Community with a goal of insuring that anyone afflicted with or affected by cancer receives the support they need. Their website enables you to locate a facility in your area that will provide access to support groups, counseling, lifestyle and informational programs that frequently includes diet education and cooking classes, exercise classes especially designed for those who are undergoing radiation and/or chemotherapy, talks by experts in a wide variety of issue affecting cancer patients and their families, and many other programs essential to fighting and living with cancer.
Caregiver Action Network: www.caregiveraction.org
This organization is a resource center that enables you to find care giving help, information, and resources in your community to specifically address your care giving needs. Go to their website to learn how you can get the help you need in your community.
Caring Bridge: www.caringbridge.org
This unique organization enables friends and family to create a private site dedicated to helping someone they care about who is dealing with a serious or life threatening illness or condition to easily communicate their medical progress, their struggles, and even includes a planner to let people sign up to help that person on specific days/ times with practical things like meals, transportation to doctors or treatments, babysitting, pet care, etc. These are but a few things included with these special sites, visit their website to learn more.
Caring Connections: www.caringinfo.org
Caring Connections is an association of organizations specializing in helping us to deal with some of the most difficult challenges we face in our lifetime including living with serious illnesses; end of life issues, decisions and planning; dealing with grief over the death of a loved one; and other related matters. Their website not only gives you information about all of these matters, but also where to find help and resources in your area as well as to provide a downloadable Advance Directive (Living Will/Healthcare Power of Attorney) specific to your state.
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Catholic Charities: www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
Catholic Charities USA helps over 10 million people each year, regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds, with elder care and advocacy, housing, employment, assistance for families in crisis, single parenting challenges, food donation and much more. Go to their website to locate one of their agencies in your area.
Cerebral Palsy: www.cerebralpalsy.org
This organization is at the forefront of all issues related to Cerebral Palsy and their website is the ultimate resource center for all issues related to Cerebral Palsy. This website addresses medical, care giving, legal, financial, insurance and other matters to many to list here as it relates to meeting the challenges of Cerebral Palsy.
The Conversation Project: www.theconversationproject.org
This organization takes on the most difficult event in our lifetime - discussing and preparing for the end of life. The Conversation Project is an invaluable guide that educates us about the types of decisions we may face at the end of our lives and takes us through the steps necessary to help us to determine what we do or don't want in each possible scenario. Not only does The Conversation Project enable us to make these determinations, but it also provides a step by step guide on how to best discuss our wishes with our families. Go to their website to start your Conversation.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: www.cff.org
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is dedicated to all issues surrounding Cystic Fibrosis. Their website provides comprehensive information, education, and assistance to find local resources for matters including medical treatment and options, detailed care giving unique to Cystic Fibrosis patients, support for caregivers, insurance matters and much more.
Gilda’s Club: www.gildasclublouisville.org
Gilda's Club Louisville is a regional affiliate of the Cancer Support Community. Gilda's Club is a large, warm and welcoming center that offers cancer patients and survivors as well as their families a caring, compassionate, and even fun place to go for help and support in their struggles. Gilda's Club offers a large variety of programs including support groups for cancer patients and their family members; counseling; talks from experts in medical matters including how to better deal with side effects of radiation and chemotherapy and other issues specifically related to fighting cancer; financial and legal experts; education about how diet and exercise can affect recovery including cooking and exercise classes; classes on practical matters like how to keep your life on track while fighting cancer; as well as regular and activities just for fun so you can relax, laugh and forget the struggle with cancer for a while.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: www.lls.org
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is involved with all matters related to blood cancers. Their website is a comprehensive resource center that not only provides you with detailed medical information, care giving advice and tips, treatment options, financial matters, support group referrals, etc., but they even have a toll free phone number so you can speak one on one with an Information Specialist to answer your questions and help you to find resources and assistance in your area.
Lupus Foundation of America: www.lupus.org
The Lupus Foundation of America is the leading advocate for research, education and treatment of this insidious disease that affects each patient differently. Their website helps you to better understand the complex nature of this disease and not only provides medical and treatment information but also care giving advice, information about financial considerations, where to find support groups in your area and even a referral guide to help you find a physician in your area that's experienced in treating Lupus patients.
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation: www.msfocus.org
The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation offers a comprehensive approach to helping people with MS to maintain their health, wellbeing, and quality of life through education, community support and medical information and education. Their website provides information and education in all of these areas.
National Stroke Association: www.stroke.org
Visit the National Stroke Association's website to learn what a stroke is, how to prevent a stroke, the warning signs and symptoms of a stroke, where to find emergency stroke centers in your area, recovery and care giving information and tips as well as where to find support groups and other resources in your community.
Parents Without Partners: www.parentswithoutpartners.org
Parents Without Partners is the largest non-profit member organization devoted to the welfare and interests of single parents and their children. PWP assists parents and their children with the many unique challenges faced by single parent families through education support, and community involvement as well as participate in raising funds for other worthy non-profit organizations.
USO: www.uso.org
While most of us think about entertaining our troops when we think about the USO, this is just one of the many programs they sponsor. The USO is instrumental in aiding wounded veterans and their families, they assist the families of solders who die while serving their country, help solders to maintain communication with their families while serving overseas, provide family counseling and community support groups and much more. Go to their website to learn more about all they contribute to our military forces and their families and the programs they offer in your community.
