|
|
Aging, End-of-Life, and Caregivers' Resources
Too often, the so-called "golden years" turn out to be 24-karat
brass, but some of the resources listed here, as well as the many listed
in www.aarp.org may make those
years a little brighter and shinier. See Links for further resources.
If you seek information on specific problems, conditions, and
treatment, be sure to consult
www.google.com as well.
Caregiving
Elder Care
Locators
- Administration on Aging (
http://www.aoa.gov/aoa/resource.html )
- The Resource Directory for Older People is intended to serve a wide
audience including older people and their families, health and legal
professionals, social service providers, librarians, researchers, and
others with an interest in the field of aging. The directory contains
names, addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers of organizations
which provide information and other resources on matters relevant to
the needs of older persons. Inclusion in the directory does not imply
an endorsement or recommendation by NIA or AoA.
- Case Management Resource Guide (
http://www.cmrg.com/index.htm )
- free, searchable database of over 110,000 specialty healthcare
services, facilities, businesses and organizations.
- ExtendedCare.com (
http://www.extendedcare.com/asp/default.asp )
- provides information on over 40,000 providers in the United States,
which include nursing homes, home health and equipment agencies,
hospice, retirement communities, long term nursing care, pediatric
facilities, psychiatric facilities, and more.
- Healthfinder (
http://www.healthfinder.gov ) -
gateway designed to help consumers find health and human services
information.
- Home Care Page ( http://www.ptct.com) - links
to general home care resources on the Internet and home care agencies
with web sites.
- National Association of Area Agencies
on Aging
( http://www.n4a.org ) - Whether you are an older adult
yourself, or a caregiver concerned about the well-being and
independence of an older adult, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are
ready to help. AAAs in communities across the country plan, coordinate
and offer services that help older adults remain in their home - if
that is their preference.
- National Association for HomeCare Online (
http://www.nahc.org )
- committed in representing the interests of the home care and hospice
community.
- National Long-Term Care Resource
Center ( http://www.hsr.umn.edu )
- Guide to Retirement Living (
http://www.retirement-living.com/main.html )
- helping you navigate the senior and caregiver service network.
- SeniorLink (
http://www.seniorlink.com ) -
provides access to elder care professionals, programs, and activities.
- Senior Options (
http://senioroptions.com ) - Online guide to senior
services
- Senior Services
Directory(
http://www.senioroptions.com/SpecialOptions.html).
Elder Law
- American Bar Association Commission on the Legal Programs of the
Elderly ( http://www.abanet.org )
- Gray Panthers ( http://www.graypanters.org ) - Gray Panthers is an
intergenerational advocacy organization. From ages 9 to 93, we are Age
and Youth in Action, activists working together for social and
economic justice. Our issues include universal health care, jobs with
a living wage and the right to organize, preservation of Social
Security, affordable housing, access to quality education, economic
justice, environment, peace and challenging ageism, sexism, racism.
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. (
http://www.naela.org ) - health care decision-making;
medicare; medicaid; living trusts; long-term care insurance;
guardianship and conservatorship; age discrimination; estate planning
and probate; and more.
- National Senior Citizens Law Center (
http://www.nsclc.org )
- covers legal issues affecting the security and welfare of older
persons with limited resources.
- SeniorLaw Home Page ( http://www.seniorlaw.com )
- helps older persons, families, attorneys and financial planners to
access information about elder law issues, Medicare, Medicaid, estate
planning, trusts, and the rights of the elderly and disabled.
End-of-Life
Issues
- Eperc (www.eperc.org)
is the End-of-Life Physician Education Resource Center, which provides
training and materials for medical professionals and patients on many
of the issues confronting patients and their families as life winds
down to the end. It also has an excellent newsletter to which
professionals can subscribe for no charge.
- Last Acts (www.lastacts.org)
is
a coalition of professional and consumer organizations trying to
improve end-of-life care. Last Acts emphasizes palliative care,
focuses on "managing pain, and making life better for individuals and
families facing death. Last Acts envisions a world in which
dying people and their loved ones receive excellent care and are
honored and supported by their community. This site is for
professionals and volunteers working to improve care of the dying."
Last Acts also has a newsletter to which professionals can subscribe
for no charge.
- GriefNet ( http://www.rivendell.org ) -
support group of persons dealing with grief, death, and major loss.
- Hospice Foundation of America ( http://www.hospicefoundation.org)
- National Hospice Organization (
http://www.nhpco.org )
- The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is the largest
nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative
care programs and professionals in the United States. The organization
is committed to improving end of life care and expanding access to
hospice care with the goal of profoundly enhancing quality of life for
people dying in America and their loved ones.
-
Information for Families
This national coalition dedicated to improving the quality of dying
for all Americans offers families information about options at the end
of life.
www.lastacts.org/scripts/InfoWare.exe?
-
5 Wishes
Provides a simplified advance directives form that is a useful guide
to determining your own wishes and is legally valid in most states.
Available in English and Spanish for $5 plus handling and shipping.
www.agingwithdignity.org
-
Medicare
Medicare Hospice Benefits booklet explains the hospice program and its
benefits, who is eligible, and how to find a hospice program.
Available in English and Spanish. View the book online or order it by
calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
www.medicare.gov/Publications/Overview.asp
Health Issues
- Administration on Aging (
http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov )
- information designed for Older Americans and their families as well
as those concerned about providing the opportunities and services to
enrich the lives of older persons and support their independence.
- Agency for Health Care
Policy and Research ( http://ahcpr.gov )
- subdirectory lists various electronic resources and documents that
are available. This includes the National Guideline Clearinghouse
(
http://www.guideline.gov ) a
comprehensive database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines
and related documents with syntheses and comparisons.
-
Alzheimer's Association (
http://www.alz.org )
- The Alzheimer’s Association, a national network of chapters, is the
largest national voluntary health organization committed to finding a
cure for Alzheimer=s and helping those affected by the disease.
- Alzheimer's Disease
Education and Referral Center at the National Institute on
Aging ( http://www.alzheimers.org )
- information about Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
- The Alzheimer Page (
http://biostat.wustl.edu/alzheimer )
- the Internet Gateway for the Alzheimer List, a free e-mail based
support group for family caregivers and professionals.
- Alzheimer Web (
http://werple.mira.net.au/~dhs/ad.html )
- devoted to research on Alzheimer's Disease.
- American Association for
Geriatric Psychiatry (
http://www.aagpgpa.org )
- dedicated to promoting the mental health and well being of older
people and improving the care of those with late-life mental
disorders.
- American Cancer Society
( http://www.cancer.org )
- American
Geriatrics Society
( http://www.americangeriatrics.org )
- Cancer Center (
http://www.cancercenter.com )
- Clinical Trials (
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov )
- provides patients, family members, and the public current
information about clinical research studies.
-
- Health A to Z (
http://www.healthatoz.com )
- Healthy Aging (
http://www.healthandage.com ) -
the Novartis Foundation for Gerontology
- HealthAnswers (
http://www.healthanswers.com )
- Information for Nutrition, Aging Network, and Long Term Care
Professionals.
- Health Care Financing
Administration ( http://www.hcfa.gov )
- a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, which administers Medicare and Medicaid Programs.
- Mayo Clinic (
http://www.mayo.edu/geriatrics-rst/Drug.html )
- information on medications for seniors.
- MEDLINEplus (
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus )
- provides health and disease-related web resources
- MedScape (www.medscape.com)
-- excellent health resource for elders (and youngers, too).
- MedSite (
http://www.medsite.com ) - an
online source for medical information.
- National Cancer Institute
( http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov )
- National Clearinghouse
for Alcohol and Drug Information Prevention Online (http://www.health.org/index.htm ).
- National Institute on
Aging ( http://www.nih.gov/nia )
- information for older adults and their caregivers, including
downloadable information sheets on a variety of topics.
- National Library of Medicine (PubMed)
( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed )
- database of medical information.
- National Policy and
Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging (
http://www.fiu.edu/~nutreldr ) -
information for nutrition, aging network, and long term care
professionals
- Nutrition Analysis Tool (
http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~food-lab/nat )
- helps older adults and families analyze the nutritional value of the
foods they eat.
- Oncology (
http://www.oncology.com ) - the
most complete, up-to-date source of online cancer news and information
for patients, health-care professionals and the entire cancer community.
- Women's Health (
http://www.womenshealth.org)
|
