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Caregiver's Contacts: How to Get the Help You Need1
Carolyn Wilken2Busy caregivers need ways to find the help they need. Sometimes there are many sources of help. At other times, it may be very difficult to find the help you need. It takes time to locate these agencies and professionals.
Make several copies of this Caregiver's Contacts sheet. This will help you quickly and efficiently gather the information you need. It will remind you of the questions you should ask.
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Agency contacted: _______________________________________________________
Method of contact: _______________________________________________________
Phone number: __________________________________________________________
Email address: __________________________________________________________
Mailing address: _________________________________________________________
Date of contact: __________________________________________________________
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Begin here:
My name is: _____________________________________________________________
I'm caring for: ____________________________________________________________
I need: __________________________________________________________________
Can you help me? ____Yes ____No
If "No": Can you refer me to anyone else?_______________________________________
How can I contact them? ____________________________________________________
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If "Yes," continue with the following questions:
What services do you provide? _____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
What are the costs? ______________________________________________________
How are they paid? ______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Who is eligible?
____________________________________________________________________
How long must we wait? __________________________________________________
Will you send me a brochure or application? __________________________________
To whom am I speaking? __________________________________________________
Is there anyone else I should speak to?
______________________________________________________________________
When can I expect to hear from you? _________________________________________
Thank you for your help.
For More Information
This is one of six publications in a series on caregiving and aging. The other publications in this series are:FCS 2257: Long-Term Care: Places to Call Home
FCS 2259: Puzzled by Your Care Receiver's Refusal of Services?
FCS 2260: Balancing Work and Caregiving: Tips for Employees
FCS 2261: Balancing Work and Caregiving: A Guide for Employers
FCS 2262: Final Wishes: End-of-Life Decisions
Footnotes
1. This document is FCS2258, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611. First published: November 2006. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.2. Carolyn S. Wilken, PhD, M.P.H., associate professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611. Appreciation is given to Donna Peacock, Extension Agent, Hernando County, and Jennifer A. Wells, Regional Extension Agent/Auburn University for suggestions and comments.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
Copyright Information
This document is copyrighted by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for the people of the State of Florida. UF/IFAS retains all rights under all conventions, but permits free reproduction by all agents and offices of the Cooperative Extension Service and the people of the State of Florida. Permission is granted to others to use these materials in part or in full for educational purposes, provided that full credit is given to the UF/IFAS, citing the publication, its source, and date of publication.