Resources
If you’re exploring Guardianship, Care Management, or Power of Attorney services, these resources can help you better understand your options. We’ve curated trusted websites that offer practical tools, guides, and information to support you as you make decisions about care and long-term planning.
Care Management Resources
Aging Life Care Association (ALCA)
Explains what care managers do, how they help families, and how to choose one.
Administration for Community Living (ACL)
Federal agency with guides on aging, caregiving, disability services, and long-term care planning.
Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA)
Resources for caregivers, care navigation, dementia support, and long-term planning.
Eldercare Locator (U.S. Administration on Aging)
Finds local services for older adults and caregivers anywhere in the U.S.
Power of Attorney & Advance Planning Resources
Illinois State Bar Association – Advance Directives
Information on Illinois POA forms, decision-making rights, and legal planning.
National Resource Center on Advance Care Planning (The Conversation Project)
Tools for discussing values, preferences, and choosing decision-makers.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) – Managing Someone Else’s Money
Clear, trustworthy guides for agents under POA and fiduciaries.
www.consumerfinance.gov/managing-someone-elses-money
Five Wishes
A widely used advance directive and planning tool focused on values and personal preferences.
Guardianship Resources
National Guardianship Association (NGA)
Provides best practices, ethics standards, and consumer-friendly information about what guardians do.
Illinois Guardianship & Advocacy Commission
For Illinois-specific information about guardianship law, protections, and rights.
American Bar Association – Commission on Law and Aging
Guides on capacity, guardianship reform, and the rights of adults under guardianship.
www.americanbar.org/groups/law_aging
National Center on Law & Elder Rights (NCLER)
Excellent consumer resources on guardianship alternatives, supported decision-making, and legal options.
Disability, Mental Health, and Supported Decision-Making Resources
National Resource Center for Supported Decision-Making
Alternatives to guardianship and decision-making support information.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Family guides for navigating mental health care, crisis planning, and advocacy.
The Arc
Information on decision-making rights, disability advocacy, and guardianship alternatives.
Aging, Dementia & Long-Term Care Resources
Alzheimer’s Association
Information on dementia, care planning, safety, and family support.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Research-based guidance on healthy aging, caregiving, and chronic health issues.
Care Compare (Medicare.gov)
Official Medicare tool to compare nursing homes, home health agencies, rehab facilities, and hospitals.
Financial & Benefits Resources
Illinois Department on Aging
Information on state programs, benefits, and protective services.
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Disability benefits, representative payee information, and retirement programs.
BenefitsCheckUp (National Council on Aging)
Finds benefit programs for older adults (financial aid, food assistance, medication help).