Resources

Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

Websites

ACL (Administration for Community Living) Assistive Technology: Tools to Improve the Everyday | https://acl.gov/AT

- This page contains links to Assistive Technology programs in your state and provides information on the right type of AT for your needs, financial assistance, and insurance.

Multiple Sclerosis Society: Finding Mobility and Accessibility Resources: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/find-doctors-and-resources/mobility-accessibility-guide

Multiple Sclerosis Society: Assistance for Adaptive Equipment

Assistance for Adaptive Equipment | National Multiple Sclerosis Society (nationalmssociety.org)

Multiple Sclerosis Society: All Brochures on a variety of topics in English and Spanish

All Brochures | National Multiple Sclerosis Society (nationalmssociety.org)

Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation: Home Modification | https://www.christopherreeve.org/living-with-paralysis/home-travel/home-modification

Eldercare Locator: Assistive Technology | https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Resources/Factsheets/Assistive_Technology.aspx

NICHD Information Resource Center: What are some types of assistive devices and how are they used? | https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/rehabtech/conditioninfo/device

MedlinePlus

• - Mobility Aids | https://medlineplus.gov/mobilityaids.html (information also available in Spanish)
• - Assistive Devices | https://medlineplus.gov/assistivedevices.html (information also available in Spanish)

Mayo Clinic: Tips for Choosing and Using Canes | https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/multimedia/canes/sls-20077060?s=6

National Institute on Aging: Home Safety and Alcheimer’s Disease | https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/home-safety-and-alzheimers-disease

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) | https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/assistive-devices-people-hearing-voice-speech-or-language-disorders 

- Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders

Videos

Clinic Excellence Commission (Australia): Falls Prevention - Safe use of Mobility Aids - Walking stick | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RB7OZ5KVyk 

National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability: How to Choose a Wheelchair | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc1aDJgdzzk&list=PLwMObYmlSHaM3ILerLzVBh5T11XygRVnS&index=2&t=0s

Other

A Family and Caregivers Guide to Home Safety for the Disabled | https://www.safehome.org/resources/family-caregivers-guide-safety-disabled/

Muscular Dystrophy Association: Everyday Life with ALS A Practical Guide | https://www.mda.org/sites/default/files/publications/Everyday_Life_with_ALS_P-532.pdf

* From 2005. Might be a little outdated

Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

Website

National Institute on Drug Abuse: Opioids | https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/opioids

Mayo Clinic: How Opioid Addiction Occurs | https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/in-depth/how-opioid-addiction-occurs/art-2036037

US Department of Health and Human Services: What are Opioids? | https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/prevention/index.html

Print

Darnall, B. (2014). Less Pain, Fewer Pills: Avoid the Dangers of Prescription Opioids and Gain Gontrol Over Chronic Pain. Bull Publishing Company.

Darnall, B. (2016). The Opioid-Free Pain Relief Kit: 10 Simple Steps to Ease Your Pain. Bull Publishing Company. 

Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

PDF Booklet

Toolkit for Managing Persistent Pain | https://www.act-center.org/

The Toolkit for Managing Persistent Pain was written by and for people living with chronic pain. Many people using this toolkit work with their health care teams to manage opioid treatment. Some are using other medicines or alternative treatments to manage their pain. This toolkit talks about both and is intended as a useful resource for everyone experiencing persistent pain, no matter what treatment methods they are using or where they are in their pain journey.

Websites

American Chronic Pain Association | https://www.acpanow.com/

Peer support and education in pain management skills to people with pain, family and friends, and health care professionals. Use the Resources tab in the main menu.

Pacing and Planning

• - Pain Management, Australian Department of Health and University of Western Australia  | https://painhealth.csse.uwa.edu.au/pain-module/pacing-and-goal-setting
• - Pacing and Chronic Pain, London Pain Clinic | https://www.londonpainclinic.com/resources/pacing-and-chronic-pain
• - Pacing: how to manage your pain and stay active, Oxford University Hospital | https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files/11850Ppacing.pdf (PDF)
  

The Pain Toolkit | https://www.paintoolkit.org 

A pain self-management resource based on the Pain Toolkit, a simple information booklet by Pete Moore. 

eBook

Pain: Considering Complementary Approaches (eBook)

• - NIH - National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health | https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/pain-considering-complementary-approaches-ebook?nav=govd

Print

Butler, D., Moseley, G. (2013) Explain Pain. Noigroup Publications. 

Darnall, B. (2014). Less Pain, Fewer Pills: Avoid the Dangers of Prescription Opioids and Gain Control Over Chronic Pain. Boulder, CO: Bull Publishing Company.

LeFort, S. M., Webster, L., Lorig, K., Holman, H., Sobel, D. S., Laurent, D., … Minor, M. A. (2021). Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain, 2nd Edition. Boulder, CO: Bull Publishing Company.

Videos

Understanding pain & what to do about it in less than 5 minutes | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLWntMDgFcs&t=129s

- Joint Pain Education Project video from the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM) to learn more about chronic pain management.

Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

Websites

American Association for Retired Persons | https://www.aarp.org 

• - Advance Directives https://www.aarp.org/relationships/grief-loss/info-06-2009/never_young_advanced_directive.html 

American Bar Association: Health Care Decision Making | http://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_aging/resources/health_care_decision_making.html 

National Council on Aging: Benefits Check Up | https://www.benefitscheckup.org 

Caring.com | https://www.caring.com

Information and support geared towards seniors.

• - Adult day care https://www.caring.com/senior-living/adult-day-care/
• - Assisted living options https://www.caring.com/senior-living/assisted-living/ 
• - Caregiver finances https://www.caring.com/caregivers/finances/ 
• - Continuing care https://www.caring.com/senior-living/continuing-care-retirement-communities/ 
• - Guide to financial power of attorney https://www.caring.com/caregivers/power-of-attorney/ 
• - Guide to moving for seniors https://www.caring.com/caregivers/senior-moving/ 
• - Nursing homes https://www.caring.com/senior-living/nursing-homes/ 
• - Independent living options https://www.caring.com/senior-living/independent-living/
• - In-home care https://www.caring.com/senior-care/in-home-care/ 
• - Memory care https://www.caring.com/senior-living/memory-care-facilities/ 

Five Wishes: Advanced Care Planning for You and Your Loved Ones | https://fivewishes.org/five-wishes/individuals-families/individuals-and-families 

My Life In A Box: A Life Organizer | https://mylifeinabox.com 

National Center of Law and Elder Rights | https://ncler.acl.gov

Formerly the National Legal Resource Center 

National Council on Aging | https://www.ncoa.org 

• - Center for benefits access https://www.ncoa.org/centerforbenefits/ 
• - Economic Security: Benefits for Seniors https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/benefits/ 
• - Home equity https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/home-equity/ 
• - Money Management https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/money-management/ 

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: Patients and Caregivers | https://www.nhpco.org/patients-and-caregivers/ 

National POLST Paradigm | https://polst.org

Encourages patients and their health care professionals to talk about what patients want at the end of life. The patient and his/her health care professional make informed, shared decisions about treatments and complete a POLST form, which is a portable medical order that emergency personnel can follow if the patient has a medical emergency and can't speak for himself/herself.

National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives | https://www.nrc-pad.org/ 

A psychiatric advance directive (PAD) is a legal document that documents a person’s preferences for future mental health treatment, and allows the appointment of a health proxy to interpret those preferences during a crisis. PADs are used when a person becomes unable to make decisions during a mental health crisis.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Home equity conversion mortgages for seniors | https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/hecm/hecmhome

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Directory of Veterans Service Organizations | https://www.va.gov/vso/ 

Print

Cullen, M., Irving, S. (2018). Shae Irving. Get It Together: Organize Your Records So Your Family Won’t Have To (Eighth edition). Berkeley, CA: Nolo.

• - Provides a complete system for structuring and organizing your information and documents into a records binder, including helpful content, resources, and step-by-step instructions, as well as downloadable forms.

Kübler-Ross, E. (2014). On Death and Dying. New York: Simon & Schuster.

• - This book explores the five stages of death: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Through sample interviews and conversations, Kübler-Ross  gives readers a better understanding of how imminent death affects the patient, the professionals who serve that patient, and the patient's family.

Rosen, H. (2015). My Family Record Book: The Easy Way to Organize Personal Information, Financial Plans, and Final Wished for Seniors, Caregivers, Estate Executors, etc. Rosen Books.

• - A complete step-by-step guide to help you keep track of and organize: final wishes and arrangements, computer information and passwords, estate planning documents, employment records, insurance policies, tax records, retirement accounts, government benefits, real estate records, house maintenance and more.

Speicher, J. H. (2019). Before and After: A practical guide for what to do and not to do before and after a loved one dies. Lafayette, CA: Big Hat Press.

Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

Websites

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About Sleep|https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html

Mayo Clinic: Lack of Sleep: Can it make you sick? | https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757 

National Sleep Foundation

• - Sleep and Disease https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/sleep-disease 
• - The Link Between Lack of Sleep and Type 2 Diabetes https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/link-between-lack-sleep-and-type-2-diabetes 

WebMD: The Sleep-Diabetes Connection | https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/diabetes-lack-of-sleep

Downloadable PDFs

American Thoracic Society

• - What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/obstructive-sleep-apnea-in-adults.pdf 
• - Women and sleep https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/women-and-sleep.pdf