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Carissa Spisak holds a doctorate in speech-language pathology.

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Dementia caregiver resources: where to find help

Dementia caregiver resources are free places a family can turn to for help and information, such as phone lines answered by trained staff, finders for local services and respite care, and guides from trusted organizations. Below is our short list, with what each one offers according to its own page, plus our free printables for keeping the day organized.

By Doctor Carissa

Published . Last reviewed by our team on .

We draft our pages with the help of AI writing tools and check them against the sources listed below. How we make our pages.

Where can I talk to someone right now?

All four phone lines are toll-free. If anyone is in danger, call 911 first.

  1. Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline, 800-272-3900. A live person answers day or night, every day of the year. They offer information, local resources, crisis assistance and emotional support, in more than 200 languages through bilingual staff or an interpreter. Calls are confidential. See the Helpline page for live chat and an online form.
  2. Alzheimer's Foundation of America Helpline, 866-232-8484. Social workers answer 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time. You can also text 646-586-5283, or chat or email from the foundation's website.
  3. ADEAR Center, 800-438-4380. The National Institute on Aging's information line answers questions in English and Spanish, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday. It also offers free publications, including caregiving and home safety tips, and refers callers to local services. More on the ADEAR Center page.
  4. VA Caregiver Support Line, 855-260-3274, for families caring for a veteran. It answers Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. The VA Caregiver Support Program site also helps you find the Caregiver Support team at your local VA.

Where can I find help near me?

  1. Eldercare Locator, 800-677-1116. A free public service of the U.S. Administration for Community Living that connects older adults and their families with services in their community. Search by location on the Eldercare Locator, or call, text or chat with trained staff.
  2. National Respite Locator. Respite care means someone else takes over the care for a while, so you can rest. The ARCH National Respite Network's respite locator helps family caregivers find respite services in their state and area. It says its list is not complete, and suggests also asking your state's respite coalition or Lifespan Respite program, or your Area Agency on Aging.
  3. Family Caregiver Alliance, Services by State. Pick a state to see public, nonprofit and private programs near the person you care for, whether they live at home or in a care facility: government health and disability programs, legal resources and groups for specific conditions. Start at Family Caregiver Services by State.
  4. Your local Alzheimer's Association chapter. The association's caregiver support pages link to your local chapter, which lists programs and services in your area, including support groups and educational workshops. The same pages cover daily care, activities, communication, safety and planning ahead.

Where can I learn more about dementia care?

  1. 62 Tips on Caring for a Loved One with Dementia, from Lanzone Morgan, LLP. A long, practical guide from an elder abuse law firm with its main office in Long Beach, California. Its tips cover safety at home, repeated questions, suspicion, sundowning, meals, bathing, clothing, looking after yourself, legal papers such as a durable power of attorney, and choosing a nursing home.
  2. Alzheimer's caregiving, from the National Institute on Aging. Plain articles from the federal government on activities, bathing and dressing, mealtimes, caring for yourself, getting help with caregiving, hospital visits and long-term care.
  3. Resources for caregivers on Alzheimers.gov. The federal government's own list in one place, with pages from the National Institute on Aging, MedlinePlus and other agencies, the Eldercare Locator and the VA Caregiver Support Program.

What can I print to keep things organized?

When several people share the care, it helps to write things down in one place. The Family Caregiver Alliance says a notebook kept in the home is essential when the person has dementia, so the people caring for them can tell each other how the plan is working. Our large-print forms are made for that. Each form page below has a free PDF we email to you, and you can see them all on printable forms for family caregivers.

For the person you care for, there is our large-print daily schedule and our ideas for dementia activities at home, each with its own free printable.

Frequently asked questions

Who can I call about dementia caregiving in the middle of the night?

The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline, 800-272-3900, answers day or night, every day of the year. The call is free and confidential. If anyone is in danger, call 911.

What is respite care, and how do I find it?

Respite care means someone else takes over the care for a while, so the usual caregiver can rest. The ARCH National Respite Locator and the Eldercare Locator can point you to programs in your area. Your state's respite coalition or Lifespan Respite program, or your Area Agency on Aging, may know of more.

Do these resources cost anything?

The phone lines on this page are toll-free, and the websites are free to read. Services you find through them, such as home care or adult day programs, may charge a fee, so ask each provider.

Is there help for families caring for a veteran?

The VA Caregiver Support Program has its own line, 855-260-3274, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. The line and the Caregiver Support team at your local VA can tell you about the supports and services available to veterans and their caregivers.

Is this page medical or legal advice?

No. It is a list of places to get information and support. Questions about the person's health, memory or medicines belong with their own doctor or care team, and legal questions with a lawyer.

Sources

We opened and checked every link on October 28, 2026.

  • Free 24/7 Alzheimer's & Dementia Helpline, Alzheimer's Association. 800.272.3900, around the clock, 365 days a year; a free, confidential service; a live person offers information, local resources, crisis assistance and emotional support; more than 200 languages through bilingual staff or an interpreter service.
  • The AFA Helpline, Alzheimer's Foundation of America. Social workers 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET; phone (866) 232-8484, text (646) 586-5283, chat and email.
  • About the ADEAR Center, National Institute on Aging. 800-438-4380, English and Spanish, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday; answers to questions, free publications including caregiving and home safety tips, and referrals to local supportive services.
  • VA Caregiver Support Program, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Caregiver Support Line 1-855-260-3274, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, and the local Caregiver Support Program team, to learn about supports and services for veterans and their caregivers.
  • Eldercare Locator, Administration for Community Living. A public service connecting older adults and their families to services in their community; 1-800-677-1116 to call or text trained staff, or chat online. Alzheimers.gov calls it a free public service.
  • Find a Respite Provider (National Respite Locator Service), ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center. Helps family caregivers find respite services in their state and local area; the list is not complete, so also check the State Respite Coalition or Lifespan Respite Program, an Area Agency on Aging, or an Aging and Disability Resource Center.
  • Family Caregiver Services by State, Family Caregiver Alliance. Public, nonprofit and private programs and services nearest the person cared for, at home or in a residential facility: government health and disability programs, legal resources and disease-specific organizations.
  • Alzheimer's & Dementia Caregiver Support, Alzheimer's Association. Daily care, activities, communication, safety, care options and planning ahead; find your local chapter for programs and services, including support groups and educational workshops.
  • 62 Tips on Caring for a Loved One with Dementia, Lanzone Morgan, LLP. Tips on safety, repeated questions, suspicion, sundowning, meals, hygiene, clothing, caring for yourself, legal affairs and choosing a nursing home; the firm calls itself an elder abuse law firm, main office in Long Beach, California.
  • Alzheimer's caregiving, National Institute on Aging. Articles on adapting activities, bathing, dressing and grooming, caring for yourself, finding long-term care, getting help with caregiving, mealtimes and hospital visits.
  • Resources for Caregivers of People With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias, Alzheimers.gov (National Institute on Aging). Federal resources for caregivers from NIA, MedlinePlus, NINDS, ACL, CDC and the VA, including the Eldercare Locator and the VA Caregiver Support Program; NIA manages the site.
  • Working Successfully with Home Care Services, Family Caregiver Alliance. A notebook in the care receiver's home is essential if the care receiver has dementia, so the caregivers can tell each other how the plan is working.

An educational support tool. Not a substitute for evaluation or treatment by a licensed speech-language pathologist or physician. Read the full disclaimer.

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