Family Caregiver Resources for Connecticut

Caregiving may be one of the most important, and challenging, roles you’ll ever take on. No matter where you are in your caregiving journey — starting to plan; taking care of a family member in your home, in a facility, or from a distance; or managing end-of-life caregiving responsibilities — having resources at your fingertips will make the process easier.

AARP developed this family caregiver guide with you, the caregiver, in mind and as a starting point to help you find the services and support you might need throughout your journey.

To order a print copy of this online guide, call the toll-free AARP Family Caregiving Resource Line at 877-333-5885 and indicate which state(s) you would like to receive. A copy will be mailed to you.

General Resources

• Supporting Family Caregivers in Your State
  
  • AARP has a website dedicated to providing you with information about how we’re advocating for caregivers in your state.

• MyPlaceCT
  
  • MyPlaceCT is a free resource to help older adults and people with disabilities live at home or in the community independently. It helps people explore their options and features current information on a range of services and supports.

• The Connecticut Association of Area Agencies on Aging (C4A)
  
  • Connecticut has five Area Agencies on Aging, which are the private, nonprofit planning agencies that administer services for older adults funded through the federal Older Americans Act (Title III) and state funds. Services include information and referral services, nutritional services, disease prevention and health promotion services, and family caregiver support services.
  • Regional contacts:
    
    • Main number: 800-994-9422 toll- free
    • North Central Connecticut: 860-724- 6443
    • Eastern Connecticut: 860-887-3561
    • South Central Connecticut: 203-785- 8533
    • Southwestern Connecticut: 203- 333-9288
    • Western Connecticut: 203-757-5449
      

• Connecticut’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) (860-424-5200 | 866-388-1888 toll-free)
  
  • The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program works to improve the quality of life and care of Connecticut citizens residing in nursing homes, residential care homes, assisted living communities and other long-term care facilities. The LTCOP responds to and investigates complaints, and all actions are performed on behalf of and at the direction of the resident. The program can also offer information about resident rights and long-term care communities.

Health Resources

• CHOICES (800-994-9422 toll-free | 860-424-5055 main number)
  
  • Connecticut’s program for Health insurance assistance, Outreach, Information and referral, Counseling, Eligibility Screening (CHOICES) helps older adults and people with disabilities understand their Medicare coverage and health care options.

• Access Health CT (AHCT) (855-805-4325 toll-free)
  
  • AHCT is the state’s official health- insurance marketplace to enroll in quality health care plans and see  if you qualify for financial help to lower your costs.

• Office of the Healthcare Advocate (OHA) (866-466-4446 toll-free)
  
  • The OHA helps consumers in making informed decisions when selecting a health plan; assists consumers to resolve problems with their health insurance plans; tracks trends of issues/problems; and advocates with industry, the public and other stakeholders.

Home- and Community-Based Resources

• Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) (800-445-5394 toll-free)
  
  • CHCPE provides medical and non- medical support services for people 65 and over to help with basic daily living activities in order to avoid institutionalization. Services include visiting nurses, companions, home health aides, chore assistance, respite and adult day care, home delivered meals, transportation, emergency response systems, and other services necessary to support independent living.

• Connecticut Community Care (CCC) (866-845-2224 toll-free)
  
  • CCC works with individuals and family members to identify choices and provides services to help people of all ages, abilities and incomes to live at home, safely and independently.

• Money Follows the Person Program (MFP) (888-992-8637 toll-free)
  
  • MFP is a Medicaid program that helps move people from institutional settings, like nursing homes, back to home- and community-based settings. Connecticut’s Department of Social Services has transition services to assist people based on their individual needs.

Financial Resources

• NCOA BenefitsCheckUp
  
  • Connects older adults with disabilities with benefit programs that can help pay for food, medicine, health care, utilities and more.

• Connecticut Community Action Agencies (CAAs) (860-832-9438)
  
  • Connecticut’s nine CAAs connect low-income people in every city and town with resources like food, energy assistance, child care and more that help stabilize and improve lives and communities.

• ConneCT (855-626-6632 toll-free)
  
  • ConneCT is a benefits assistance tool by the Department of Social Services (DSS) that provides applicants, clients and the general public with ways to access federal and state programs administered by DSS. These can include health care programs, food assistance, long-term services and supports, and cash assistance.

• Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) (2-1-1 | 800-842-1132 toll-free)
  
  • The CEAP, administer by DSS’ Office of Community Services, provides financial assistance to residents who are unable to pay utility bills. Weatherization resources may also be available.

• End Hunger Connecticut! (866-974-SNAP toll-free)
  
  • End Hunger Connecticut! is an organization that assists Connecticut residents with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as food stamps. SNAP provides monthly nutritional assistance to people who have low income and limited assets to pay for food.

Legal Resources

• Connecticut Legal Services Programs (CLS)
  
  • CLS provides Connecticut residents who are 60 or over and meet basic eligibility requirements with free legal help on issues involving health care, finances, debt, housing, power of attorney, nursing homes, benefits and other social services, and more.
  • Regional contacts:
    
    • Bridgeport: 800-809-4434 toll-free | 203-336-3851
    • Stamford: 203-348-9216
    • Waterbury: 800-413-7797 toll-free | 203-756-8074
    • Willimantic: 800-413-7796 toll-free | 860-456-1761
    • Greater Hartford: 860-541-5000
    • New Haven: 203-946-4811
    • Statewide Legal Services Hotline: 800-453-3320 toll-free
    • For consumer law issues: 800-296-1467 toll-free

• Connecticut Probate Courts: Conservators (860-231-2442)
  
  • Connecticut’s probate courts appoint conservators to oversee the finances and/or personal care of adults who are unable to manage their own affairs. The website outlines the duties and responsibilities of a conservator.

• Protective Services for the Elderly (PSE) (888-385-4225 toll-free | 2-1-1)
  
  • PSE provides education about and investigates allegations of abuse and neglect of people age 60 and over. Areas of concern include financial exploitation and physical, sexual, emotional and verbal abuse.

Workplace/Employer Resources

• Supporting Caregivers in the Workplace
  
  • AARP offers valuable resources to help employers create a caregiver- friendly workplace.

• The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority
  
  • This program provides Connecticut’s workforce with access to paid family and medical leave benefits. It offers tools and resources to help workers access paid time off in order to attend to personal and family health needs without worrying about lost income.

Transportation Resources

• Connecticut ADA Paratransit (203-365-8522 ext. 2061)
  
  • ADA Paratransit offers advanced reservation transport services for persons with disabilities who are unable to use public bus systems due to their disability.

Housing Resources

• Avoiding Foreclosure (877-472-8313 toll-free)
  
  • Avoiding Foreclosure is a resource from the Connecticut Department of Banking that provides information and advice to people who are falling behind on their monthly mortgage payments.

• CT Housing Search (877-428-8844 toll-free)
  
  • CT Housing Search is a free resource for finding and listing accessible, affordable and market-rate rental housing in Connecticut.

Specific Audience Resources

• AARP Caregiving Guides
  
  • AARP offers free caregiving guides for specific audiences, including guides for military families and LGBT individuals. The guides, also offered in Spanish and Chinese, are designed to help develop and implement a caregiving plan.

• Veterans Affairs (VA) Connecticut Healthcare System (855-260-3274 toll-free)
  
  • The VA Connecticut Healthcare System offers a number of services and resources specifically for caregivers, homeless veterans, LGBT veterans, women veterans and more.

Care for Caregivers

• AARP Friendly Voice
  
  • AARP Friendly Voice is a program with trained, caring volunteers on the other end of a phone line who are ready to chat, listen or just say hello. Phone: Call 1-888-281-0145 for English or 1-888-497-4108 for Spanish, leave your information and you will get a return call.

• Create the Good
  
  • Create the Good connects people with volunteer opportunities and project ideas to share your life experiences, skills and passions in your community.

• Connecticut Statewide Respite Care Program (800-994-9422 toll-free)
  
  • The Connecticut Statewide Respite Care Program provides information and support to stressed caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia patients. One of the  program’s main functions is to help caregivers develop an appropriate plan of care.

AARP Resources for Family Caregivers

• AARP Family Caregiving Website (en español: aarp.org/cuidar)
  
  • AARP’s Family Caregiving website is your one-stop shop for tips and tools to help you care for a loved one. It has valuable information about handling medical issues, health records and advance directives, home safety, financial and legal issues, caregiver life balance and much more.

• AARP Family Caregiving Resource Line (877-333-5885 toll-free, en español: 888-971-2013 toll-free)
  
  • Connect with a real person and learn how to access local resources via our toll-free family caregiving hotline.

• AARP Family Caregivers Facebook Group
  
  • Join the AARP Family Caregivers Discussion Group on Facebook to connect, ask questions and share ideas with other family caregivers.

• Community Resource Finder
  
  • Community Resource Finder, a joint service from the Alzheimer’s Association and AARP, is a database of dementia- and aging-related resources powered by Carelike. The online tool makes it easy to find local programs and services.

• I Heart Caregivers
  
  • Join the thousands of family caregivers who have shared their experiences through AARP’s storytelling initiative, I Heart Caregivers. Your story will help AARP continue to fight for more support for family caregivers.

• AARP Online Caregiving Community
  
  • Join our community and connect with other caregivers like you.

• AARP HomeFit Guide
  
  • The AARP HomeFit Guide can help individuals and families make their current or future residence age-friendly. It can also help elected officials, policymakers and local leaders learn about and advocate for the types of housing features and designs that communities need so that their residents can live safely and comfortably and thrive.

• National Resources for Family Caregivers
  
  • A listing of national agencies, groups and organizations that can connect family caregivers with direct services and supports.

• AARP Financial Workbook for Family Caregivers
  
  • This guide will help you get organized and capture the essential information you need to manage the complex responsibilities of caregiving.

• AARP Foundation Connect2Affect
  
  • AARP Foundation Connect2Affect offers resources to meet the needs of anyone who is isolated or lonely and helps to build social connections for older adults.

• AARP Health Benefits Navigator
  
  • The Health Benefits Navigator is a tool to help veterans and their family members find and obtain service-related benefits provided through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD).

• AARP Job Board
  
  • AARP Job Board helps connect job seekers with employers who value experience and are committed to an age-diverse workforce.

• AARP Medicare Enrollment Guide
  
  • The AARP Medicare Enrollment Guide offers guidance on key decisions you'll need to make about enrolling in Medicare for the first time, as well as personalized information that is carefully tailored to you.

• AARP Resume Advisor
  
  • The AARP Resume Advisor offers a free résumé review to help highlight your skills as a professional by providing personalized feedback.
    

If you have thoughts about how AARP can improve this resource guide, we invite you to go to aarp.org/preparetocaresurvey (en español: aarp.org/encuestacuidador).