Caring for elderly parents or partner – online resources

Caring for elderly parents or a partner can be stressful and demanding. Fortunately, the internet’s information and support is here for you around the clock, all year long.

Resource listings for carers

Below is a clickable list of organisations, helpful programmes and more to help you care for loved ones.

Age Cymru - Provides free, confidential and expert advice and information for older adults living in Wales.

Age-in-Place Home Improvements - A useful practical guide from an American realtor (licensed estate agent), which explains what changes you might want to consider to your home to make it safer for ageing.

Age NI - Provides free information, advice and support on issues affecting older people living in Northern Ireland.

Age Scotland - Provides free information, advice and support on issues affecting older people living in Scotland.

Age UK - Information for older people on care, benefits, health and more. There are more than 120 local Age UK/Age Concern organisations, whose services can include: information, advice and advocacy services; day centres and lunch clubs; home help and ‘handyperson’ schemes; and IT and other training.

Age UK - telecare and telehealth - Telecare can help keep you safe in your home as you get older and may also help you to stay in your own home for longer, if you wish. Examples include reminders, carer’s alerts, sensory impairment alarms and movement detectors. Telehealth is a way of monitoring your health while you are at home, through specialist equipment and internet access.

Alzheimer’s Society - Information and advice about living with dementia and caring for someone with dementia. This includes practical advice about washing, dressing, feeding and safeguarding the health of someone with Alzheimer’s; as well as relationship issues and coping with caring.

Arts for Dementia - Information about arts programmes in London for people in the early stages of dementia and their carers. These programmes can stimulate brain activity and bring relief from anxiety and confusion for them and their families and carers.

Best Mobility Aids - Information about a wide range of mobility aids for both inside and outside the home.

British Red Cross - Provides short-term support to vulnerable people in the UK, for instance if they're recovering from an operation, need a wheelchair or need help coping around the house. Also has a transport service for people with mobility problems who can’t use public transport.

BUPA Care advice - Free information on care options, provided by BUPA.

Care.com - Marketplace to find carers for home visits or live-in.

Care and Repair Cymru - Works to ensure that all older people in Wales have homes that are safe, secure and appropriate to their needs.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) - Checks whether hospitals, care homes and care services are meeting government standards and publishes inspection reports.

Carents Room - Provides support and information for carers of older people.

Carers on Demand - Agency platform for day, night and live-in carers.

Carers Trust - Information on respite care, employment, taking care of yourself, holidays and days out, getting the most from health professionals and more – and contact details for Carers’ Centres across the UK.

Carers UK - A range of help, advice and resources for carers, including a telephone helpline, a directory of local organisations that can help carers, and a beginner’s guide to caring.

Carers UK Forum - An online forum for carers to talk with each other.

Caring for those with dementia - Provides resources, including films, activities and e-learning from early signs and diagnosis, through living with dementia to end of life care. From the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).

Citizens Advice - Free, confidential advice on rights, benefits, debt, housing and more.

Compassion in Care - Charity offering legal advice on elderly abuse, providing practical advice and support to people in care, their relatives and staff members.

Dementia Adventure - Specially designed small group short breaks and holidays for people with dementia and their carers to enjoy together. This is designed as an alternative to traditional respite which can be stressful for some people with dementia.

Dementia UK - Aims to improve the quality of life of people with dementia. Also promotes and develops Admiral Nursing - a specialist nursing intervention focused on meeting the needs of carers and families of people with dementia.

Dementia Web - Provides downloadable Dementia Information Prescription guides for areas of England. They also have a 24-hour helpline on 0845 1204048.

Diabetes UK - Their guide on Older people and diabetes has information on food, treatment and self-care.

Disability Service Centre - UK government disability benefits helpline.

Disability Rights UK - An organisation run by and for disabled people, providing information and advice on independent living, career opportunities and influencing public behaviour and attitudes. They also sell Radar Keys.

elder GURU A worldwide organisation by and for those diagnosed with dementia, working together to improve quality of life.

Elderly Accommodation Council (EAC) - Offers Housingcare.org service to help older people make informed choices about meeting their housing and care needs.

Foundations - Appointed by the UK government as the national organisation for home improvement agencies, which aim to help vulnerable people maintain their independence and live comfortably and safely in their own homes.

Green Deal - Energy saving for your home.

Helping Hands - Homecare service providers of various types such as dementia care, live-in care and hourly visiting care.

Home energy help - Grants and advice for insulation and heating upgrades. England: Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme. Wales: Nest. Scotland: Warmer Homes Scotland (via Home Energy Scotland). Northern Ireland: Affordable Warmth Scheme.

Hometouch - Live-in care service search site.

Home Care Association – The professional association of home care providers from the independent, voluntary, not-for-profit and statutory sectors. Provides a guide to finding a homecare agency.

Home Instead- Search service to find home carers.

Hourglass - Charity focused on protecting and preventing the abuse and neglect of older adults by offering a free 24/7 confidential helpline for all including concerned relatives and friends.

Independent Age - A wide range of online guides, including accessing care services, care funding, care homes and home care (including telehealth and telecare).

Innovations in Dementia - Develops and tests projects designed to enhance the lives of people with dementia.

Jewish Care - Information about care homes and community centres for Jewish people in London and the Southeast.

Join Dementia Research – Source for opportunities to find out more about current research studies and participate in studies (for both people with dementia or their carers).

Legal & General Later Life Planning - Free legal information and advice about caring for ageing parents, wills, estate planning, taxes, insurance, and pets.

Legal guide to dealing with dementia - Law firm Wright Hassall have produced a guide, explaining Power of Attorney arrangements in detail.

Living Made Easy - Provides independent advice on mobility aids, disability aids, daily living equipment and more.

Lottie - Comparison site for care homes, homecare and retirement homes.

Meals on Wheels UK - This service delivers ready-made meals to older adults. This website was created by a research team at the University of Bristol and contains an informative video of the service and a search engine to locate the service in local areas.

MindMate - A free award-winning app designed for people with dementia.

MoneySavingExpert - Has a useful guide to Power of Attorney (written with help from the Alzheimer’s Society and Age UK) and also a useful guide to Mental Health & Debt (written with help and guidance from six charities).

MS Society Grants - Information about local grants that help support short breaks and respite care; activities for adult carers, including hobbies and courses; home and car adaptations and more.

National Care Forum - Provides an alphabetical list of not-for-profit care homes across the UK.

NHS England - Living well, ageing well and tackling premature mortality - Information on a range of topics regarding ageing, particularly ageing well. Provides information on major conditions that affect older adults most, and advice about online GP services and ordering medication.

NHS Social care and support guide - An NHS guide to sources of support for those with illness and disability.

Oakhouse Foods - Food delivery company that offers ready-made frozen meals depending on your needs, including level 4 pureed meals.

Oral Health Foundation - Dental care for older people - Provides information on oral problems of older adults such as gum disease and tooth decay, and how best to prevent problems with your teeth and mouth. Includes information about dentures.

Outside Clinic - This is an NHS-funded service that provides at-home hearing and eye tests. Tests can be booked from the site or by calling 0808 239 3602.

Parkinson's UK - Information, local support groups, and a peer support helpline, where you can talk to a trained volunteer with similar experience: 0808 800 0303.

Pharmacy2U - Online pharmacy that delivers prescriptions, including for pets, freely to your home. Other services include online doctors, NHS services, pet services and an online store.

Re-engage - Provides befriending services from call companions to group activities for older adults to prevent loneliness and isolation by enhancing social interactions.

Relate - Offers advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support face-to-face, by phone and through its website.

Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) - Consumer reports on mobility and home products for people with disabilities and older adults, based on user tests and original research.

Royal College of Occupational Therapists - Search engine to find an Occupational Therapist to help people carry out activities or develop skills while dealing with illness or disability.

Royal Voluntary Service - Through more than 40,000 volunteers, Royal Voluntary Service helps support older people all over the country stay independent at home and active in their community. RVS have around 450 community centres and lunch clubs, 50 community transport schemes and over 500 cafes, shops and trolleys in hospitals.

Samaritans - Provides confidential emotional support 24/7 to those experiencing despair, distress or suicidal feelings.

Scope Disability Forum - A supportive space for disabled people, parents and carers to get disability advice and information and talk to people with similar experiences.

Shared Lives Plus - An alternative to home care and care homes for disabled adults and older people. It is used by around 15,000 people in the UK. In Shared Lives, a Shared Lives carer and someone who needs support get to know each other and, if they both feel that they will be able to form a long-term bond, they share family and community life.

NHS Social care and support guide - An NHS guide to sources of support for those with illness and disability.

The Good Care Group - Provides advice and information on caring for older adults at home, including those living with dementia. Information includes home adaptation, medication administration and care costs.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) - Provides support and information for caring for older adults with sight loss. There are downloadable cards and guides on managing and aiding communicating.

The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) - Provides information and guidance for families, care staff and others on how best to support and communicate with people suffering from hearing loss. Includes links on how to check for hearing loss, selecting a hearing aid and a care plan.

The Silver Line - A free confidential 24/7 helpline run by Age UK to provide friendly conversation, friendship, advice and support for older adults, particularly those experiencing loneliness and isolation.

Turn2Us - Information and services to help you find support if you’re in financial difficulty, through welfare benefits, grants and other financial help.

UK Government - Caring for someone - Information and support about caring for someone; includes benefits advice.

What other kinds of support can I get online?

Online support can mean a lot of things, including:

You can use the internet as your aid for flexible working if you are employed.
It has lots of means for social interaction, even when you find it difficult to get out. There is email, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), MS Teams, WhatsApp, Zoom, and more.
It can give you entertainment and a break from caring, on social media or on sites like YouTube, where you can watch content.
You can do online shopping for almost everything you can imagine, from groceries to clothing and medical supplies to gifts and toys.
You can do online banking for convenience.

Make sure to get the support you need

Caring can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. Across the UK there is a wide network of charities, advice services and community groups ready to offer practical help, emotional support and guidance.

Whether you need information about benefits, specialist care, respite, or simply a friendly voice on the phone, these organisations can make a real difference. Reaching out is often the first step to easing the strain – and making caring a little more manageable.

Reviewed and updated by Mojitola Idowu, August 2025.