Family and Caregiving Support Resources
Carbondale Area Interfaith Refugee Support
Carbondale Area Interfaith Refugee Support (CAIRS) is a network of community members that helps refugees from around the world adjust to and build a new life in Southern Illinois. CAIRS provides the support necessary to navigate the transition, become citizens, find employment and become neighbors and friends.
CAIRS provides resources that include:
- A “New to the Area” resource page in English and Spanish
- Immigration support services and legal help
- Money to help with housing and other expenses
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 of old age.
CAN provides a Family Caregiver Toolbox on a variety of topics.
CAN also has a “Caring for Rare Disease Caregivers” website that includes helpful information, tips, and resources, including communicating effectively with healthcare professionals, looking for respite care, handling complex emotions and more.For more information, call the Caregiver Help Desk at (855) 227-3640 or email info@caregiveraction.org.Caregiver Stress and Burnout Information
The demands of caregiving can be exhausting and overwhelming. HelpGuide has helpful information and steps you can take to rein in stress and regain a sense of balance, joy and hope in your life.
Information includes the signs and symptoms of caregiver stress and burnout and how to take care of your own health.
Caring Conversations Toolkit for Families and Providers
The Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition (PPCC) offers a Caring Conversations Toolkit to help determine when and how to start a conversation about hospice or palliative care. Separate toolkits targeting the needs of families and providers are available.
Each toolkit offers a series of questions to help decide whether it is time to start a conversation about hospice or palliative care for a child with serious illness, and how to navigate the discussion.
CaringBridge is a no-cost, nonprofit health platform that surrounds family caregivers with support while they are caring for a loved one on a health journey.
CaringBridge offers tools to:
- Share and document a health journey
- Simplify care coordination
- Connect caregivers with a supportive community
CaringInfo, a program of the National Alliance for Care at Home, provides free resources to educate and empower patients and caregivers to make decisions about serious illness and end-of-life care and services.
The site provides guides and resources about topics including advance directives, palliative care, caregiving and hospice care.
For more information, please use the National Alliance for Care at Home’s online contact form.
Caritas Family Solutions is a non-profit social services agency that works to meet the physical, social and emotional needs of people in southern Illinois.
Services include adoption support, foster care, community integrated living arrangements, counseling, parenting classes, pregnancy care and more.
For questions, please contact Caritas Family Solutions.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet
Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet serves people in need in Will, Grundy, DuPage, Kendall, Kankakee, Ford and Iroquois counties. Its programs and services include:
- Information and assistance
- Caregiver support groups
- Crisis intervention and immigrant support program
- Volunteer opportunities
- Programs for the aging and people with disabilities
- Mobile food pantry
Catholic Charities Diocese of Springfield Crisis Assistance
Catholic Charities offers a crisis assistance program to help individuals and families facing short-term, one-time crises that may put them at risk of eviction or utility shut off. The service is free for residents living in the 28-county Springfield diocese.
For help or information, contact the Catholic Charities Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, at any of these offices:
- Effingham office at (217) 857-1458, Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
- Granite City office at (618) 877-1184, ext. 201 or 205, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Springfield office at (217) 523-4551, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Catholic Charities of Rockford
Catholic Charities of Rockford serves people in need in Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb, Kane, Whiteside and Lee counties. Its programs and services include:
- Counseling and a mental health ministry
- Immigration and refugee services
- Emergency help
- Food pantry and clothing closet
- Project Hire employment training and services
- Volunteer opportunities