Elder Care Guide and Information

 

Alzheimer’s and Dementia

American Alzheimer’s Association
Alzheimer Organization web page for locating a support group in your area.

AlzInfo.Org
A comprehensive portal for caregivers, family members, people living with Alzheimer’s, and anyone who has an interest in leaning about and conquering this devastating disease

Alzheimers Disease Education and Referral Service
A wonderful service from National Institute on Aging. They provide a wide range of information on everything from the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimers Disease to patient and caregiver care and research. Staff answers requests by phone, e-mail, and mail and makes referrals to other resources both local and national.

Dementia.com
Provides information for caregivers and healthcare professionals. Subscribers can customize the site, receive newsletters and access Medline mail service, providing access to over 3 million online articles. Primarily intended for European audiences but chock full of great information for about dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Family Doctor.Org
Dementia information and advice for caregivers. Operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians. The information on the site has been written and reviewed by physicians and patient education professionals at the AAFP.

Cancer

Cancer Care
A national non-profit organization. Provides free professional help to people with all cancers through counseling, education, information and referral and direct financial assistance.

Home Care Guide For Advanced Cancer
Provided by the American College of Physicians.

Diabetes

American Diabetes Association
Home page for the American Diabetes Association, the nation’s leading non-profit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy.

Diabetes.com
An informative site sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals. Provide diabetes facts, health tips and guidance for caregivers.

Foot Care

Podiatry Network
Source of foot care information.

Foot Care Direct
A great source of education and information on treatment of foot, ankle and heel conditions.

Hearing Loss

National Institute on Deafness and Other Hearing Disorders
Comprehensive, easy-to-understand information about hearing loss. Includes great section on hearing aids. Part of the National Institute of Health.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease Resource Locator
National Parkinson’s site. Use it to locate affiliated chapters, outreach centers, physicians and local support groups.

The American Parkinson’s Disease Association
Focuses its energies on research, patient support, education and raising public awareness of the disease to “ease the burden and find a cure”.

Lou Gehrig’s Disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)

The ALS Association
The only national not-for-profit health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS. Its mission is to find a cure for and improve living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Doctor’s Guide
The latest medical news and information for patient, friends, and parents of patients diagnosed with ALS.

Stroke

American Stroke Association
A division of the American Heart Association that focuses on reducing disability and death from stroke through research, education, fund raising and advocacy.

National Stroke Association
Provides loads of information about strokes, symptoms of strokes, stroke prevention, and rehabilitation.

Stroke Family Provides stroke and speech recovery kits that speed recovery in the home.

How To Prevent Medical Errors

Drug Pill Identifier
Basic drug safety means you should never take a pill if you are not 100% sure what it is you are taking. Uses a handy drug-picture database to help you easily identify an unlabeled drug in a cabinet or pill case.

Health A to Z
A simple to use site to find identify harmful drug interactions between other drugs, vitamins and homeopathic products. This site could literally save your life by preventing unanticipated and dangerous side effects.

Medline
Comprehensive online quality health care information assembled by the U.S National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health.

Prevent Medication Errors
A report to the President of the United States in 2000 by the Agency for Healthcare Research lists twenty steps you can take to prevent errors in medication and treatment.

Caregiver Resources

Silvert’s Clothing (Adaptive clothing For Seniors With Disabilities)
Is getting dressed becoming a challenge for you or a loved one? People with Alzheimer’s, arthritis or the disabled can enjoy total comfort and fashionable style. Silvers provides a wide range of adaptive clothing for seniors with disabilities. Includes men’s and women’s clothing specially designed for Alzheimer’s, Arthritis, foot problems, incontinence, scoliosis and wheelchair bound.

Assistive Technology

Able Data
Has a database containing over 20,000 assistive products currently available products from over 2,000 different companies. Offers a detailed description of each product as well as price, manufacturer and distributor information. One of the best sources of information on assistive technology.

Elder Abuse Information Sites

National Center on Elder Abuse
A gateway to resources on elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation funded by the Agency on Aging.

Nursing Home Abuse Resource
Nursing Home abuse portal offering general information about abuse with links to nursing home abuse law firms.

End Of Life Issues

Growth House
A top-notch portal to resources for life-threatening illness and end of life care. Focus is on improving the quality of compassionate care for people who are dying.

5 Wishes
Five Wishes is a document that helps people express how they want to be treated if they become seriously ill and unable to speak for themselves. It is unique among all other living will and health agent forms because it looks to all of a person’s needs: medical, personal, emotional, and spiritual. Five Wishes also encourages discussing your wishes with your family and physician.

General Care Giving Information and Support

AARP
Simply one of the most comprehensive sites on the net for a broad range of elder care issues.

Caregiving.com
Offers access to support, information and resources you need when you care for an aging relative.

Empowering Caregivers
Provides education, resources, emotional and spiritual support, forums, chats, newsletter, journal exercises, expert columns, and articles on care giving.

Family Caregiver Alliance
Offers information, education, services, research and advocacy that support and sustain families caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling illnesses.

Well Spouse Foundation
A national, not for profit organization of spouses and partners of the chronically ill. Gives support to wives, husbands, and partners of the chronically ill and/or disabled through support groups where members can share their thoughts and feelings openly with others facing similar circumstances. Offers information on a wide-range of practical issues facing spousal caregivers.

Government Websites

Area Agencies On Aging
Locate the Agency on Aging office closest to you using this link through the Agency on Aging’s website.

Benefits Check Up
Find out what government health benefits, tax breaks, insurance counseling, and other perks you might be eligible for by filling out an anonymous form. A National Council on the Aging site.

Medicaid
Two clicks connects you to your state Medicaid website. Links to the Medicaid websites of all 50 states.

Medicare
Government site explaining of the basics of Medicare Eligibility and Enrollment, Medicare Coverage and Billing, Premiums, Costs, and Other Information.

Medicare Compare
A wonderful research tool based on annual inspections of the nation’s nursing homes. Provide detailed information about the past performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in the country.

Guide To Choosing The Best Medicare Prescription Drug Plan For You.
Personalize your search for a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan that is right for you. This free site allows you to enter the prescription drugs you now take to find the most appropriate Medicare Prescription Drug Plan available in your area.

Social Security Online
The official website of the Social Security Administration.

Department of Veteran’s Affairs
Provides information regarding all benefit programs available to our country’s veterans.

Guardianships

National Guardianship Association
Offers resources to family guardians through a reduced fee membership program. Includes newsletter, on-line discussion groups and ethics hotline. One of the most informative sites of its type on the web. Home Health care products

Vitality Medical
Are you tired of paying high prices for health and medical products? Then, check out this company. Their product line is huge and growing (over 9000 products now). Their service is unequalled. Their prices are great. Plus, you can get free shipping on health and medical products. Click on the link and check them out.

The Wright Stuff
This company provide unique health care products for people with varying physical needs. They search for and deliver useful tools, appliances, equipment, and rehabilitation products that make accomplishing daily tasks less difficult. People with arthritis, bursitis, osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, tendonitis, back pain, muscle pain, joint pain, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, impaired vision, poor grip strength, poor balance, carpal tunnel syndrome, have undergone joint replacement surgery, or most any physical ailment can find products to make life easier. Pretty cool stuff, really.

Hospice
Hospice Foundation of America A wonderfully informative site that helps those who cope personally or professionally with terminal illness, death and the process of grief and bereavement.

Hospice Consumers Guide
This easy to understand guide from the Hospice Association of America tells you what services hospice provides, how to get those services, how to pay for them and what benefits you are entitled to under Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance.

Locate a hospice near you.
Locate a hospice near you using The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization site. It has one of the easiest hospice search utilities available. Searchable by state, county or zip code.

Ombudsman Programs

Ombudsman Program
The National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center provides support, technical assistance and training to the 53 State Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs. Check out the Ombudsman Desk Reference for sections on long term care statistics, federal, state and local agency contacts, resources and general references.

Find An Ombudsman Near
You Each state has a central office that can refer you to an ombudsman in your area. You can reach your state’s website in just 3 clicks.

Reverse Mortgages

National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association
The national association dedicated to understanding and use of reverse mortgages.

Financial Freedom
The nation’s largest funding source for reverse mortgages. A subsidiary of Lehman Brothers

Talking To Parents About Long Term Care

Discussing The Need For Long Term Care
A terrific article from the folks at Nolo Press.

Professionals Who Can Help You

National Association of Daily Money Managers
Assists people who have difficulty managing their personal monetary affairs. (paying bills, balancing checkbooks, preparing and delivering bank deposits, credit negotiations, general organizational activities, etc.)

Geriatric Care Managers

National Association of Geriatric Care Managers
Learn how a professional Geriatric Care Manager can ease the burden of care giving and attain the highest quality of life for your situation. Includes information on how to choose a care manager and a care manager locator.

Elder Law Attorneys

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Locate an elder law attorney through this link. Members assist families with public benefits (like Medicaid and Medicare), probate and estate planning,