• Caregivers' stress level goes down when they learn how to do a better job as caregivers. Let’s face it—many caregivers are unprepared for all the responsibilities and specific duties of caregiving. Suddenly you are administering a complicated schedule of daily medications, or learning to lift a fragile loved one out of wheelchair, or awkwardly fumbling with a bedpan. You might be making decisions about residential care, crucial medical regimes, or even whether or not to consult with hospice—decisions you feel completely unprepared to make.

So we consulted with all kinds of experts and created a library of easy-to-read articles and interviews that will help you with the many duties and decisions you’re facing. (Just click on the tabs at the top for topics that you want to research.)

Our “Finding Resources” tab at the top right of the screen also allows you to type in topics and find useful information on this website as well as relevant books, articles, agencies, and other websites.

• Caregivers, as well as the people they are caring for, benefit from the help of friends and family members. Even though this is true, we also discovered that caregivers often find it hard to ask friends and family members to help. Many caregivers are waiting/hoping for people to volunteer. Others just don’t know how to coordinate or share caregiving.

Registered members of CareCommunity can create their own "Personal Community" on this website. This Personal Community offers an easy way to invite family and friends into the caregiving. These secure pages let you and invited members access a private group calendar, task list (so friends and family members can see and sign up for tasks you need help with), contact list, message board, updates on a patient’s care, and more.

To create a Personal Community just clickin on “My Personal Community" under the "Quick Links for Registered Users" on the lower left of the screen.

• Caregivers benefit from the support of other caregivers. Many caregivers confessed that at first they were reluctant to join “support groups.” Some were skeptical that it would even help. But ultimately, everyone who sought the support of other caregivers was glad they did.

As one caregiver said, “I never thought of myself as a "joiner.’” But once she pushed through the resistance, she discovered that caregivers’ experiences can be comforting. Sometimes it helps you feel less alone with all the conflicted feelings of caring for someone you love. Other times it helps you gain perspective.

 “I saw that many caregivers had it worse than I did,” she told us. “And suddenly I realized I could feel grateful, instead of resentful.”

This kind of “been there” support of other caregivers is exactly why we created the Discussion Forums, Stories and Advice, and a place to “Find People Like Me.” (All “Quick Links” on the left side of the screen.) These are ways you can get the immediate benefits of a support group whenever you feel the need for camaraderie from other caregivers.