With over 35 million members, AARP is the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over in the United States. AARP is known for informing members and the public on issues important to this age group; and advocating on legislative, consumer and legal issues.

The AFSCME Retiree Program, which began operation in 1980, is an expanding national network of retired public sector workers. In the last ten years, the Program’s membership has tripled, growing from 60,000 to over 200,000 dues paying retirees in 37 chapters and 250 local sub-chapters. National Program priorities generally can be divided into the following areas: Federal policy and legislation affecting senior citizens and retiree education.

The private, not for profit Alliance for Aging Research is the nation’s leading citizen advocacy organization for improving the health and independence of Americans as they age. The Alliance was founded in 1986 to promote medical and behavioral research into the aging process. Since then, as the explosion of the Senior Boom approaches, the Alliance has become the voice for Baby Boomer health by developing, implementing and advocating programs in research, professional and consumer health education and public policy.

The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy their lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security.

The Alzheimer's Association is a voluntary organization that sponsors public education programs and offers supportive services to patients and families who are coping with Alzheimer's Disease.

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging is the national association of not-for-profit organizations dedicated to providing quality housing, health, community, and related services to older people. AAHSA's mission is to represent and promote the common interests of its members through leadership, advocacy, education and other services. It represents more than 4,500 not-for-profit nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities, senior housing facilities, and community service agencies for the elderly.

The ABA Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly is dedicated to examining law and policy issues affecting older persons by assisting senior citizens and their families with health-related legal issues. The Commission has sought to improve legal services for the elderly, particularly through involvement of the private bar.

The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. The American Heart Association lists diabetes as one of the six major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is the premier professional organization of health care providers dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all older adults. With an active membership of over 6,800 health care professionals, the AGS has a long history of effecting change in the provision of health care for older adults. In the last decade, the Society has become a pivotal force in shaping attitudes, policies and practices regarding health care for older people.

The American Health Care Association is a professional organization that represents the interests of licensed nursing homes, assisted living, and sub- acute care facilities to Congress, Federal regulatory agencies, and other professional groups. AHCA also provides leadership in dealing with long-term care issues.

The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

The American Hospice Foundation provides information and supports programs for terminally ill and grieving individuals, their families, and the professionals who care for them.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) is the oldest and largest organization of public health professionals in the world, representing more than 50,000 members from over 50 occupations of public health. APHA is concerned with a broad set of issues affecting personal and environmental health, including federal and state funding for health programs, pollution control, programs and policies related to chronic and infectious diseases, a smoke-free society, and professional education in public health.

APHSA is a nonprofit, bipartisan organization of individuals and agencies concerned with human services. Their members include all state and many territorial human service agencies, more than 150 local agencies, and several thousand individuals who work in or otherwise have an interest in human service programs. APHSA educates members of Congress, the media and the broader public on what is happening in the states around welfare, child welfare, health care reform, and other issues involving families and the elderly.

The American Society on Aging is a non-profit, membership organization that informs the public and health professionals about issues affecting the quality of life for older people and promotes innovative approaches to meet these needs.

The mission of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics is to provide high quality scholarship, debate and critical thought to the community of professionals at the nexus of law, health care and ethics.

The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association that focuses on reducing risk, disability and death from stroke through research, education, fund raising and advocacy. The American Heart Association created the American Stroke Association after many years of increasing emphasis on stroke. They spend more money on stroke research and programs than any other organization except the federal government.

The National Association for Hispanic Elderly [Asociación Nacional Pro Personas Mayores] serves the needs of Hispanic elderly and other low income persons. It is a private, non-profit corporation with both public and private funding. It has earned a national reputation for its work with the elderly and for its increasingly significant role in the larger Hispanic community. The scope of the Association’s work includes employment programs, services for the elderly, economic development projects which include low-income housing and neighborhood development programs, research and data collection, training and technical assistance, development of model projects, and award winning media productions. The Association has an extended network of over 500 public and private community service organizations throughout the nation.

This family website shares credible autism resources information, treatment, and tips with parents and caregivers living with autism to help empower, support, network and inform.

CARD is among the world's largest and most experienced organizations effectively treating children with autism and related developmental disorders. They provide information, training, supervision and therapy services throughout the US and the world.

The Center is a private, not-for-profit organization staffed by attorneys, paralegals, a nurse, and computer specialists. The organization provides direct representation for residents of Connecticut and legal advice, information, and advocacy for Medicare beneficiaries nationwide. The Center produces a wide array of written material to assist Medicare beneficiaries and their advocates – including self-help packets, brochures, and a quarterly newsletter. Much of this information, various updates, and important primary resource material is available on the Center’s website. In addition, the Center is involved in education, policy making, and litigation of importance to Medicare beneficiaries throughout the country.

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is a coalition of approximately 100 national disability organizations working together to advocate for national public policy that ensures the self determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society.

CEC is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.

Provides resources and advocates on behalf of those affected by Familial Dysautonomia (FD).

FLAIRS is a statewide association of agencies and individuals committed to the provision of quality information, referral and hotline services. Their members include United Ways, crisis hotlines, libraries, military service centers, elder helplines, child care resource and referral providers, and others who provide hotline and information services. FLAIRS offers an annual training conference for our members and other interested service providers.

The Gerontological Society of America is a professional organization that promotes the scientific study of aging in the biological and social sciences.

The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing seeks to shape the quality of health care older Americans receive by promoting the highest level of geriatric competence in all nurses. By raising the standards of nursing care, the Hartford Institute aims to ensure that people age with optimal function, comfort and dignity.

Hearing Loss Association of America “HLAA” (formally the Self Help for Hard of Hearing People “SHHH”) is a consumer advocacy organization for people with hearing loss.

The Health Insurance Association of America offers information to the public about all aspects of health and disability insurance. Through the Helpline, the Association provides information to consumers about a wide range of health insurance issues, including continuation of group health benefits, major medical, Medicare supplements, and long-term care insurance.

This site offers independent Medicare HMO cost comparisons combined with the convenience of requesting plan information from the Medicare HMOs available by area. HealthMetrix Research provides independent decision-support information to a national audience of managed care organizations, healthcare providers, purchasers, and consumers who are positioned to influence changes in the healthcare industry.

The Hospice Patients Alliance (HPA) is a private nonprofit charitable corporation dedicated to serving the general public, hospice patients, their families/caregivers, the bereaved and hospice staff. HPA promotes quality hospice services whether a patient is enrolled in a licensed hospice or not, whether residing at home or in a facility.

Founded by Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder, the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders has been a pioneer in its work to advance the identification, prevention, and treatment of developmental and learning disorders. Through its research, training and publications, ICDL has created a cadre of world class professionals across multiple areas of expertise who are extending the reach of the DIR®/Floortime Model.

In 2005, Last Acts—a highly acclaimed Robert Wood Johnson Foundation national program—came to a close. The program’s web site, which was dedicated to improving end-of-life care through the sharing of ideas and solutions by professional care givers, educators and consumers, ceased publication at the same time. However, much of the content of the Last Acts web site remains accessible through this archive.

Last Acts created a wealth of useful Web content—for health care consumers, health-care practitioners, policy-makers and employers. The articles appear much as they appeared on the Last Acts web site, occasionally with some editing or abridgement.

The articles are presented primarily for their historical interest, to illustrate the depth of the Foundation’s long commitment to quality end-of-life care. Many of the articles remain current, but readers are advised that some of the information could be dated.

The Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Inc., a nonprofit agency sponsored by the AARP, is a national support center specializing in the delivery of legal services to older persons.

Whether by the name Meals-On-Wheels, AOA, AAA or any other name, MealCall helps provide necessary resources to local senior meal delivery organizations and congregate meal sites through direct financial support, helping to find volunteers, and providing online contact support between organizations and the people that need their services.

The Medicare Rights Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that older adults and people with disabilities get good, affordable health care. This website offers helpful and reliable Medicare information for professionals in the health care field.

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others who work with older clients and their families. The Academy provides a resource of information, education, networking and assistance to those who deal with the many specialized issues involved with legal services to the elderly and people with special needs. The mission of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys is to establish NAELA members as the premier providers of legal advocacy, guidance and services to enhance the lives of people with special needs and people as they age.

With more than 210,000 members, NAMI is the nation’s leading grassroots advocacy organization solely dedicated to improving the lives of persons with severe mental illnesses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and severe anxiety disorders.

The National Association for Home Care is a professional organization that represents a variety of agencies providing home care services, including home health agencies, hospice programs, and homemaker/home health aid agencies.

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging represents the interests of Area Agencies on Aging across the country.

The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers is an organization of practitioners whose goal is the advancement of dignified care for older people and their families. The Association is committed to maximizing the independence and autonomy of older people, while striving to ensure that they receive the highest quality and most cost-effective health and human services. Through education, advocacy and counseling, and the delivery of services, Association members assist older people and their families in coping with the challenges of aging.

The National Fair Housing Advocate Online is a resource designed to serve both the fair housing advocacy community and the general public with timely news and information regarding the issues of housing discrimination.

The National Citizens Coalition for Nursing Home Reform defines and achieves quality for people with long-term care needs through informed, empowered consumers; effective citizens groups and ombudsman programs; promotion of best practices in care delivery; public policy responsive to consumer needs; and enforcement of consumer-directed health and living standards.

The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, an advocacy and education organization, is dedicated to protecting and enhancing Federal programs vital to seniors' health and economic well-being.

The National Council on the aging (a private, nonprofit organization) serves as a resource for information, training, technical assistance, advocacy and leadership in all aspects of aging. NCOA seeks to promote the well-being and contributions of older persons and to enhance the field of aging.

Serves the nation as a central source of information on:
• disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth
• IDEA, which is the law authorizing special education
• No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities)
• research-based information on effective educational practices.

The National Family Caregivers Association offers services in the areas of information and education, support and validation, and public awareness and advocacy, toward the goal of minimizing the disparity between a caregiver's quality of life and that of mainstream Americans.

NGA is comprised of individuals in the public and private, for profit agencies and organizations, as well as concerned individuals. NGA provides its members with education and training; networking opportunities; and the opportunity to set a national agenda to ensure standards of excellence.

NHeLP is a national organization providing health care advocacy for low-income people. It provides litigation support, training and consulting services and detailed analysis of current and proposed legislation. NHeLP offers a free e-mail subscriptions for publishing information on current issues.

The National Jewish Council for Disabilities provides individualized and ongoing support to Jewish communal institutions such as synagogues, schools, and community centers facilitating inclusion for all individuals with disabilities.

The National Long Term Care Resource Center, a collaboration between the University of Minnesota Institute for Health Services Research and the National Academy of State Health Policy, assists the aging network to develop, administer, monitor and refine community-based, long term care systems reform.

NPF supports Parkinson-related research, patient care, education, training, and outreach. Their Parkinson pamphlets cover a variety of topics of interest to the Parkinson community, are unique in their genre, and are distributed free of charge to anyone that requests them. There are now 39 affiliated Chapters of NPF throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. Their website includes such interactive features as Ask the Doctor, Ask the Surgeon, and Ask the Dietician.

National Partnership hosts a special section on caregiving which has information on important federal laws that can help caregivers; helpful articles on a range of caregiving issues, from how to prepare for the possibility of caregiving to what to do when the job suddenly falls on your shoulders; links to research on caregiving; and a resource section that highlights other web sites. This helpful information can be found under their main Work and Family area.

The National Private Duty Association is the nation's first association for providers of private duty home care, which includes non-medical home care services. NPDA seeks to enhance the strength and professionalism of private duty home care providers through education and development of best practices.

NSCLC advocates nationwide on behalf of low-income elderly individuals and persons with disabilities. It provides litigation assistance, research and consulting support, national policy representation, training and manuals and periodicals. Substantive areas covered on the site include: Age Discrimination, Americans with Disabilities Act, Medicaid, Medicare, Nursing Homes, Older Americans Act, Pension Rights and Social Security. The site includes articles and legal documents on many of these topics. The Center’s publications, including numerous manuals and a newsletter, are described, but are for sale in print form only.

Nurse Competence in Aging (NCA) is improving the quality of health care older adults receive by enhancing the geriatric competence - the knowledge, skills and attitudes - of the 400,000 nurses who are professionally identified as members of approximately 57 specialty nursing associations.

The Older Women's League (OWL) is a national membership organization addressing the special concerns of midlife and older women. OWL works to provide mutual support for its members to achieve economic and social equity for its constituents, and to improve the image and status of older women. OWL bridges the gap between the women's groups and organizations representing aging to achieve these goals.

Operation Respect aims to assure each child and youth a respectful, safe and compassionate climate of learning where their academic, social and emotional development can take place free of bullying, ridicule and violence.

PSN is a network of parents, providing a strong voice for parents, whose priority is supporting, educating, and advocating for each other while raising children and adolescents with learning, emotional, developmental, social, and behavioral disorders.

Partnership for Caring: America's Voices for the Dying is a national nonprofit organization that partners individuals and organizations in a powerful collaboration to improve how people die in our society. Among other services, Partnership for Caring operates the only national crisis and information hotline dealing with end-of-life issues and provides state-specific living wills and medical powers of attorney.

The Resource Center for Accessible Living offers special education advocacy on behalf of students seeking appropriate educational services, Disability Awareness Programs, CSE Workshops for Educators and Parents, Transition Planning Workshops, Benefits Advisement, Information and Referral.

With this site, you can search by county and state through a list of 5,000 nonprofit nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities, and assisted living and other housing facilities. This site includes links to additional information about some of the facilities including photos.

United Seniors Health Cooperative is a nonprofit organization which helps people understand issues of aging such as good health, health insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap, and major medical), housing options, and caregiving. It has developed a specialty of counseling people on insurance needs, including long-term care insurance.