Last reviewed: August 2026
You've just been reading about what other caregivers have carried. Here is help for what you might be carrying.
If someone with memory loss is missing: begin searching right away. If they aren't found within 15 minutes, call 911 and tell them the person has dementia or memory impairment.
Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-272-3900 — for crisis support, care decisions, or just someone to talk to, any hour of the day.
Caring for someone with memory loss often requires learning things you never expected to need — and making decisions when you may already be tired, worried, or grieving.
The resources below offer reliable information, practical guidance, and ways to connect with support. Most are provided by government agencies, established nonprofit organizations, university-based programs, or recognized experts in dementia care.
This is a starting place, not a complete directory. Most service finders are currently designed for people in the United States. Availability, eligibility, and fees may change, so please confirm details directly with the organization.
A clear introduction to the differences between ordinary age-related forgetfulness, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and other possible causes of memory changes.
Government-reviewed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, different types of dementia, and living with cognitive change.
A more detailed overview of Alzheimer's disease, its progression, diagnosis, treatment, and current research.
A sudden or significant change in memory, thinking, personality, or behavior should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional. Not every memory problem is caused by dementia, and some causes may be treatable.
Practical guidance on communication, behavior changes, everyday care, safety, hospitalization, late-stage care, and caring for yourself.
Practical videos for understanding and responding to situations associated with dementia, including changes in behavior, communication, safety, and everyday care.
A video presentation that reframes challenging behavior and offers a more supportive way to understand and respond to difficult caregiving situations.
Information organized around the stages of dementia, daily care, communication, behavior, safety, caregiver health, and care options.
A free, secure tool that creates a personalized caregiving dashboard with educational materials and resources based on your situation.
A searchable database of evidence-based dementia-caregiving programs. It includes information about services, eligibility, cost, enrollment, research findings, and programs adapted for different languages and cultures.
Online and specialized groups for family members, partners, and others caring for adults with dementia and other chronic or disabling conditions.
Support groups, educational events, caregiver stories, personalized resources, and links to organizations serving caregivers in each state.
Support for caregiver stress, depression, relationship changes, grief, physical health, and emotional well-being.
Provides access to local chapters, support groups, educational programs, online communities, and its 24-hour dementia helpline (1-800-272-3900).
A public service of the U.S. Administration for Community Living. Search by location for Area Agencies on Aging and community services for older adults and caregivers.
Helps families locate respite programs and possible funding sources in their communities.
A searchable directory for dementia-related programs, support groups, housing, home care, medical services, and community resources.
An introduction to respite care, in-home support, adult day programs, residential care, and working with care providers.
Important guidance on recognizing wandering risk, preparing the home, creating an emergency plan, and responding when someone is missing.
If a person with memory loss is missing, begin searching immediately. Follow the Alzheimer's Association emergency guidance and contact local emergency services promptly, making clear that the missing person has dementia or memory impairment.
A balanced overview of GPS and location sharing, smart-home devices, online privacy, scams, and AI safety for people living with dementia.
A medical-identification and wandering-response service offered by the nonprofit MedicAlert Foundation in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association. Products and membership plans involve fees. Review features, privacy practices, ongoing costs, and the needs of the person in your care before enrolling.
Information about possible signs of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and situations in which caregiver stress may be creating an unsafe environment.
No device or monitoring service can replace appropriate supervision, an individualized safety plan, or emergency assistance.
A compassionate discussion of the repeated losses caregivers may experience as dementia progresses, with suggestions for coping and finding support.
Practical and emotional guidance for late-stage care, comfort, hospice and palliative-care questions, and the feelings that may arise near the end of life.
A research-informed exploration of ambiguous loss: loving someone who is physically present while being changed by dementia.
A comprehensive, practical guide to dementia, daily care, behavior changes, medical concerns, caregiver well-being, and finding additional help. The eighth edition was published in 2025.
Stories and psychological insight that illuminate why dementia can be so difficult for both the person experiencing it and the person providing care. Particularly valuable for caregivers struggling with guilt, anger, or the expectation that they should respond perfectly.
Practical, hopeful ideas for creating moments of connection and pleasure without denying the difficulty of dementia.
A university-produced podcast featuring clinicians, scientists, caregiving experts, and people affected by dementia. Episodes cover caregiving, diagnosis, treatment, research, brain health, and living well with cognitive change.
A listing here does not guarantee that a service will be appropriate for every person or situation. When considering a program, professional, device, or paid service, ask about:
Looking for help with legal or financial planning? That's beyond the scope of this page, but the Alzheimer's Association's planning guide is a good place to start.