Organizations - Patricia E. Kefalas Dudek

American Society on Aging
The largest organization of multidisciplinary professionals in the field of aging. Resources, publications, and educational opportunities are geared to enhance the knowledge and skills of people working with older adults and their families.

Assisted Living Consumer Alliance
A national collaboration of groups and individuals working together to promote consumer safety, choice, and rights in assisted living.

Alzheimer's Association
The leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research.

Better Endings
More than two million people die each year in the United States. Anguish and confusion abound, not only for the dying person but also for caring family members and friends.

Caring.com
A new resource for advice and information for adults with aging parents. (A special thanks to Valerie Lafferty for sending it my way.)

Center for Self-Determination
A working collaboration of individuals and organizations committed to the principles of self-determination - principles designed to assist persons create the lives they want.

Citizens for Better Care
A non-profit advocacy agency for residents of nursinghomes, adult foster care homes, assisted living programs and homes for the aged located in Michigan.

ElderCare Link
A site that simplifies the process of connecting with qualified assisted living providers.

Ethnic Elders Care
A site designed specifically for people who are or will be caregivers to ethnic elders with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

Family Caregiver Alliance (National Center on Caregiving)
A public voice for caregivers. Pioneering programs to support and sustain the important work of families nationwide caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling health conditions.

Michigan Long Term Care
For information on their Long-Term Care Supports and Services Advisory Commission, click here.

Michigan Long Term Care Connection
A coordinated system of information and assistance in planning and arranging for long-term care services.

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc.
A non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others who work with older clients and their families.

National Care Planning Council
A comprehensive resource for long term care planning.

National Center on Elder Abuse
Directed by the U.S. Administration on Aging, it's commitment is to help national, state, and local partners in the field be fully prepared to ensure that older Americans will live with dignity, integrity, independence, and without abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

National Elder Law Network
A source of dependable information on legal issues for seniors, their familes, and advocates.

National Senior Citizens Law Center
Advocates before the courts, Congress and federal agencies to promote the independence and well-being of low income elderly and disabled Americans.

Civil Rights Issues:

Alliance for Justice
A national association of civil rights, mental health, women's, children's and consumer advocacy organizations.

American Civil Liberties Union
The ACLU's mission is to preserve all of the Constitution's protections and guarantees.

Native American Rights Fund
The oldest and largest nonprofit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals.

National Veterans Legal Services Program
A nonprofit organization dedicating to ensuring that the government honors its commitment to veterans.

Consumer Law Issues:

National Consumer Law Center
Protecting consumers and promoting marketplace justice.

National Assn. of Consumer Advocates
A nationwide organization of attorneys who represent consumers victimized by fraudulent business practices.

Death & Funeral Issues:

Funeral Consumers Alliance
A Federation of Nonprofit Consumer Information Societies protecting a consumer's right to choose a meaningful, dignified, affordable funeral.

Employment Issues:

Job Enable
A free service that connects disabled individuals with prospective employers. Matt Lawrence began this site after overcoming his own personal disability and is using his talent to assist others with disabilities to obtain employment.

Housing Issues:

Community Housing Network
A community economic development organization that promotes the economic self-sufficiency and inclusion of people with special needs and people of low to very low income in their communities through home-ownership and access to affordable, desirable housing opportunities and other community resources.

Mental Health Issues:

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
The alliance can help you find a local support group. The website has six discussion boards, including a friends and family forum for those with loved ones suffering from mental illness.

Depression Screening
Offers a free (and confidential) online screening test.

Healthy Minds
Offers information on a wide range of mental illnesses, including eating disorder and phobias. The website features video testimonials from real people.

Judge David L. Bazelon's Center for Mental Health Law
This organization's mission is to protect and advance the rights of adults and children who have mental disabilities.

Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation
The first charitable organization dedicated to the support of research for the study of early-onset bipolar disorder.

National Alliance on Mental Illness
Advocacy in helping people with severe mental illnesses.

National Mental Health Information Center
Info and links to helpful resources and publications.

Schizophrenia Bulletin - Oxford Journals
Seeks to review recent developments regarding treatment of schizophrenia.

Women's Issues:

National Association of Baby Boomer Women
A wealth of information pertaining to baby boomer women.