Our guides rely on primary sources wherever possible: the government agencies that run programs, the public health bodies that publish guidance, the regulators that inspect care services, and established nonprofit organizations with deep experience of caregiving. This page lists the main organizations we use and explains how we use them. Each guide also lists the specific pages it cites.
How we use sources
- Primary first. For eligibility rules, benefits, costs and official guidance, we go to the organization responsible for them.
- Dated and linked. Figures that change, such as program limits or average costs, are stated with a year and a link so you can check the latest version.
- Country-specific. US guides cite US sources; UK guides cite UK sources. Rules often differ between states, and between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and we say so where it matters.
- Checked, not copied. We summarize in plain English and check our summary against the original before publishing. See our editorial policy.
Inclusion on this list does not mean an organization endorses CareTaskNest, and we have no commercial relationship with any of them.
United States
Government agencies and official programs
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – public health guidance, including falls prevention and caregiving. cdc.gov
- National Institute on Aging (NIA) – research-based information on aging, caregiving and dementia. nia.nih.gov
- Administration for Community Living (ACL) – federal programs supporting older adults, people with disabilities and family caregivers. acl.gov
- Eldercare Locator – a public service of ACL that connects people to local aging services. eldercare.acl.gov
- Medicare.gov – official information on Medicare coverage, including home health care. medicare.gov
- Medicaid.gov – official information on Medicaid, including home and community-based services. medicaid.gov
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – health care and caregiver support for veterans. va.gov
- Social Security Administration – retirement, disability and representative payee information. ssa.gov
- MedlinePlus – consumer health information from the National Library of Medicine. medlineplus.gov
Nonprofit organizations
- ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center – information on respite care and how to find it. archrespite.org
- Family Caregiver Alliance – practical resources for family caregivers. caregiver.org
- Alzheimer's Association – information and support for people affected by dementia. alz.org
United Kingdom
Government, health services and regulators
- NHS – health information and guidance on social care and support. nhs.uk
- GOV.UK – official information on benefits such as Carer's Allowance and Attendance Allowance, and on lasting power of attorney. gov.uk
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England, including inspection reports. cqc.org.uk
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – guidance on health and social care. nice.org.uk
Charities
- Age UK – information and advice for older people and their families. ageuk.org.uk
- Carers UK – advice and support for unpaid carers. carersuk.org
- Alzheimer's Society – information and support for people affected by dementia. alzheimers.org.uk
Suggesting a source
If you know an authoritative source we should consider, or a link on our site no longer works, please tell us through the contact page.