WV Bureau of Senior Services

National and International Private and Public Organizations

  • AARP
    AARP is a national membership organization of people age 50 and older. One of the lead senior advocacy organizations in the world, AARP offers a variety of programs, services, and surveys concerning the interest and views of older people.
  • AARP Foundation
    A part of AARP, the Foundation is dedicated to research issues that can improve the living conditions of older people.
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (eatright.org)
    The Academy provides dieticians with access to pertinent information regarding their profession as well as providing information that will assist consumers in maintaining better eating habits.
  • ADvancing States (formerly National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities)
    ADvancing States represents the nation’s 56 officially designated state and territorial agencies on aging. Their principal mission is to support visionary state leadership, advance state systems innovation and articulate a national policy on home and community based services for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
  • Aging with Dignity
    Their publication, "Five Wishes," deals with all end of life needs—medical, personal, emotional, and spiritual.
  • Alliance for Retired Americans
    The Alliance is a national organization that works toward protecting the health and economic security of seniors.
  • Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
    Working in cooperation with the NIH, NIA and the U.S. DHHS, this site serves as the national clearinghouse on information concerning caregivers and victims of Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias.
  • American Bar Association
    The ABA is a membership organization comprised of lawyers from across the country. The American Bar Association also provides a lawyer referral program as well as limited pro bono contact information for low-income people.
  • American Health Care Association
    This is the organization that represents the nation's nursing home and other long-term care facilities.
  • American Lung Association
    The mission of the American Lung Association is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health, with special emphasis on asthma, tobacco control and environmental health. The "Lung Disease Lookup" section is particularly informative.
  • American Nurses Association
    The ANA certifies qualified registered nurses in any of five specialty areas: gerontology, medical-surgical, pediatrics, perinatal and psychiatric, and mental health nursing.
  • American Public Health Association
    Comprised of health care professionals, APHA brings together researchers, service providers, administrators, teachers, and other health workers in a unique, multidisciplinary environment of professional exchange, study, and action.
  • American Red Cross
    An international organization dedicated to helping people in times of need.
  • BenefitsCheckUp
    A service of the National Council on Aging that allows seniors to quickly identify programs they may qualify for and how to access them. Includes BenefitsCheckUpRx that can help seniors save money on prescription drugs.
  • Caregiver Action Network
    CAN was created to educate, support, empower and speak up for the millions of Americans who care for chronically ill, aged or disabled loved ones.
  • Center for Social Gerontology
    A nonprofit research, training and social policy organization dedicated to promoting the individual autonomy of older people and advancing their well-being with a primary focus on legal issues.
  • Commonwealth Fund
    A private foundation that supports independent research on health and social issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy. The Fund is dedicated to helping vulnerable people become more informed about their health care.
  • Community Transportation Association of America
    A nonprofit organization, CTAA provides access to transportation providers (mass transit and paratransit services) interested in obtaining information needed to improve their transportation delivery systems.
  • Employee Benefit Research Institute
    A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to data dissemination, policy research, and education on economic security and employee benefits.
  • Families USA
    Families USA is a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of older people through studies and research.
  • Generations United
    A national organization that promotes intergenerational strategies, programs, and policies, GU advocates on behalf of the mutual well-being of children, youth, and other adults.
  • Gerontological Society of America
    The Gerontological Society of America is a nonpartisan policy institute that fosters critical thinking about the implications of an aging society. The Society conducts and synthesizes research on a broad range of topics related to income and health security.
  • Healthy People 2030
    Healthy People 2030 represents the nation's disease prevention agenda: to increase quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities.
  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement
    IHI is an independent, nonprofit organization working to accelerate improvement in health care systems (with a particular interest in chronic care) by fostering collaboration among health care organizations.
  • Joint Commission
    An independent, nonprofit organization, the Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
  • Justice in Aging
    The organization promotes the independence and well-being of low-income elderly individuals and persons with disabilities, with particular emphasis on women and racial and ethnic minorities.
  • Leadership Council of Aging Organizations
    A coalition of national nonprofit organizations concerned with the well-being of America's older population and committed to representing their interests in the policy-making arena.
  • Leading Age
    Leading Age represents not-for-profit organizations dedicated to providing high-quality health care, housing and services to the nation's elderly.
  • MedlinePlus
    MedlinePlus directs you to information that helps answer health questions. It offers extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and latest health news.
  • National Academy for State Health Policy
    NASHP is dedicated to achieving excellence in state health policy and practice. NASHP works to disseminate information designed to assist states in the development of practical, innovative solutions to complex health policy issues.
  • National Academy of Social Insurance
    The NASI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and education organization made up of the nation's leading experts on Social Security, Medicare, and other social insurance programs. It does not lobby or take positions on policy issues.
  • National Alliance for Caregiving
    A nonprofit organization that provides assistance to both professionals and informal caregivers needing help to improve the quality of life for people requiring assistance to live independently.
  • National Association of Insurance Commissioners
    This site is an organization representing each of the state insurance commissioners. Information includes contact information, insurance companies, laws, etc.
  • National Association of Social Workers
    The NASW is the largest organization of professional social workers in the world. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members and to advance sound social policies.
  • National Center for Assisted Living
    NCAL is the assisted living voice of the American Health Care Association, the nation's largest organization representing long-term care providers.
  • National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
    This organization attempts to improve the quality of health education practice through the establishment and maintenance of a certification process for health education specialists.
  • National Council on Aging
    This is a senior advocacy organization.
  • National Pharmaceutical Council
    Comprised of research-based pharmaceutical companies, NPC sponsors a variety of research and education projects which demonstrate appropriate use of pharmaceuticals to improve both patient treatment outcomes and cost.
  • Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
    PhRMA represents pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. This site also provides access to their Patient Assistance Programs that offers discounts or free prescriptions to people unable to purchase their medications.
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
    An international foundation, this agency provides grants and research studies involving health care initiatives and programs.
  • SeniorNet
    The nonprofit SeniorNet provides adults 50+ access to and education about computer technology and the Internet to enhance their lives and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom.
  • Urban Institute
    The UI provides data, research and reports regarding older people and other special needs groups. A nonprofit policy research organization, their goals are to sharpen thinking about society's problems and efforts to solve them.
  • US Aging
    US Aging (formerly n4a) is a national organization that both provides and contracts services for older people with funding derived from the Older Americans Act. Area agencies on aging coordinate delivery of home and community-based services.
  • World Health Organization
    WHO is an international organization concerned with improving the health of world citizens through improvements in the physical, mental and social well-being of individuals and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.