Registration and Membership
Q: Why should I register and become a member of CareCommunity?
A: Registration is the first step toward becoming a member of CareCommunity. It’s free, easy, and completely confidential.
Once you become a member of CareCommunity, you’ll have access to our valuable tools, like the Private Caregiving Page. You can speak with other community members by posting messages in our discussion forums or sharing a “Lesson Learned.”
Q: What is a Profile and why should I create one?
A: Think of your profile as your public face in the CareCommunity. It gives members a chance to see an image of you and learn about your caregiving needs and interests. If you use our “Find Others Like Me” tool, your profile will help us find community members with similar interests and concerns.
Q: Who should I contact if I have concerns or questions about the site?
Q: How can I protect my identity and confidentiality on this website?
A: When registering on the site, don’t use your full name as your user name. Also, don’t post personal information in your public profile, such as your address, telephone number, work place, or full name of the person you are caring for. Only invite people you know and trust to view your Private Care Page.
Q. How do I recover a lost password?
A. Go to the
Login page and click on the “Forgot Password?” link. We will ask you for your user name. We will then send you an e-mail with your password, using the e-mail address you used when you registered. If you forget your user name, please
contact us.
Q: How can I tell my friends and family members about this site?
A: Under the "Quick Links" column on the left, there’s a button that states, “Send This Site to a Friend.” Click on the button and follow the easy prompts.
Private Care Page
Q: What is a Private Care Page and why should I create one?
A: A Private Care Page is your personal area of the website that allows you to manage and organize your caregiving more effectively. Only you (and anyone you invite via e-mail) can see this page. Creating a Private Care Page is an easy, two-step process—simply name the page and invite friends or family members via e-mail (you can always invite more people later).
Once you create a Private Care Page, you’ll find a built-in “Scheduler” that allows you to list tasks that your friends and family members can view and sign up for, so that you can more easily share and delegate caregiving duties. It also works as a personal calendar, helping schedule appointments, errands, and tasks.
There is an “Announcement” board where you can post urgent news and updates. You’ll also find a Journal that lets you share your reflections, experiences, stories, and concerns with friends and family members. The personal Message Board allows friends and family members to post questions, share information, or simply offer support and encouragement.
Overall, the Private Care Page is designed to help caregivers be more organized and help friends and family members share and coordinate caregiving for a loved one.
Discussion Forums
A: Discussion Forums allow members to post questions and comments to the community and receive answers or comments. It’s easy to read and even join in a discussion. Click on the Discussion Forum icon on the left column or click here (link to Discussion forum) to find the forum.
The main Discussion Forum page lists a number of discussion titles, such as “Caregiving Advice and Wisdom” and “Sharing and Venting.” Under each title you’ll find a list of topics from members of our community. These topics are self-titled, such as “Feel Guilty When I Exercise” and “Keeping Your Spirits Up.” Click on the topic title and you’ll find what the member wrote. If you are a registered member of the site, you can post a new topic or reply to another member’s message.
Q: Can I remove or edit a Discussion Board item that I posted?
A: No, you cannot delete or edit a Discussion Board item once it has been submitted.
Q. Can I remove or edit a “Member Story” that I already posted?
A: Yes. To remove or edit a “Member Story” log in and go to your “Public Page” (you’ll find this listed under “Quick Links for Registered Users”). Under the heading “My Contributions,” click on the item you want to edit or remove (“delete”). At the bottom of the story or lesson, you will see buttons to edit or delete the story.
If you delete a story that is connected to other members (for instance, if someone has it listed in “Favorites”), those members will get a message stating, “This story no longer exists.”
Q: Can I remove or edit a Resource that I already submitted?
A: Yes. To remove a resource that you submitted, log in and go to your “Public Page” (you’ll find this listed under “Quick Links for Registered Users”). Under the heading “My Contributions,” click on “Resources” and then click on the resources you want to delete. At the top of the resource page, you will see a button to delete or edit the resource.
If you delete a resource that is connected to other members (for instance, if someone has listed it in “Favorites”), those members will get a message stating, “This resource no longer exists.”
Blogs and Journals
Q. What is a Blog and why should I write one?
A. The word blog comes from the term “weblog.” It is a journal that you can write online and is available to be read on the Web. Blogs are usually updated frequently and intended for anyone to read. It is also a way to instantly get your writing published on the Web.
Our CareCommunity Blog allows you to publicly share your caregiving experiences, stories, and reflections. Writing a blog is a way to share your daily stories and experience while allowing other caregivers to benefit from your lessons learned.
Q: What about the Journal on my Private Care Page? Is that a blog that’s available for everyone to read?
A: The Private Care Page Journal is only viewable by you and the people you invite to your Private Care Page. You write in it as easily as you would the public blog, but it is designed to be private and confidential. After you register (link to registration) and log in to this site, you can create a Private Care Page by clicking on this link (insert link to private care page) and following the easy, two-step process. Once you’ve created a Private Care Page, you’ll see the Journal tool on the start page.
Q: Can I remove or edit my public blog?
A: Once you make a blog entry, you cannot remove it. However, you can edit a blog entry at any time. After you log in, go to the blog entry you want to edit and you will see an “Edit Entry” link on the top, right corner of the blog.
Well Wish
Q: What is a “Well Wish” and how do I send one?
A: This is a personal e-mail that you can send to friends or other members of the Care Community. The e-mail is designed to look like a greeting card, but you can write any message you like.