Chicago Home Care Resources
ARCH National Respite Network and Research Center provides a National Respite Locator on its website as well as additional resources for finding respite in your community.
Family Caregiver Mental Health And COVID-19
It’s important for caregivers to take care of their own mental health. Supporting caregivers with information and resources can help them maintain their mental health and better support their loved ones.
Mental Health America provides these tips to help caregivers take care of their own physical and mental health.
Caregiver Action Network (CAN) is a national nonprofit organization that aims to improve the quality of life for Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease or the frailties old age.
CAN provides a Family Caregiver Toolbox on a variety of topics.
Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago is a not-for-profit organization serving 44 counties in Illinois. It offers education, advocacy and case management to people living with epilepsy, their families and the communities in which they live.
The foundation’s client services include case management, programs for children and adults, epilepsy centers, support groups, employment, medications, and driving and transportation.
Special Needs Chicago Transportation Services
Special Needs Chicago provides individuals with physical and/or cognitive challenges throughout Chicago and the suburbs with wheelchair-accessible transportation.
The Arc of Illinois Family-to-Family Health Information Center and Family Voices of Illinois provide this fact sheet on possible options for help with the cost of diapers for children, youth and adults with disabilities.
PUNS is the name for the list of the people in Illinois with developmental disabilities who want or need services but do not yet have funding. Individuals who need help from the government to pay for needed Division of Developmental Disabilities Waiver services now, or in the future, should register for PUNS.
The Arc of Illinois’ Life Span Program provides an overview of how to get on the PUNS list and how to check the approximate date when you may be selected.
Family Voices Telehealth Toolkit, Tips and New Telemedicine Family Resource Center
Family-centered telehealth can help children and youth with special healthcare needs and families access health care, improve their experience with health care, reduce stress, improve communication between all team members and across systems, and improve quality of life and well-being. During the COVID-19 outbreak, telehealth is being used more and more. Family Voices features extensive resources to help families and individuals with disabilities better understand, access, prepare for and navigate telehealth appointments.
These resources are in Spanish and English.
“Before, During, and After” is a two-part toolkit providing a checklist and worksheet to help prepare for telehealth visits, note questions or key information during a visit, and provide guidance and clear follow-up steps for each appointment.
Family Voices also provides guidance on how to use telemedicine, what to expect and policy changes. (Click here for the Spanish version.)
Clearbrook’s various respite programs offer an array of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These services are designed to help maintain individuals with developmental disabilities in the individual/family home by providing short-term relief to primary caregivers.
Clearbrook provides respite services in the following counties: Lee, Dekalb, Stephenson, Winnebago, Jo Daviess, Ogle, Boone, Cook, Lake, Will, Kankakee, Grundy, Kendall, Kane, McHenry and DuPage.
COVID-19 Parenting Tip Sheets and Activities
Parenting for Lifelong Health has developed open-access online parenting resources to support families during COVID-19. Their Parenting Tip Sheets are available in 100-plus languages and provide useful reminders, suggestions, strategies and activities to help caregivers support themselves, their children and their families.