The AARP Guide to Internet Resources Related to Aging
Provides information about resources on the Internet related to aging. It lists
and describes Web sites concerned with aging-related issues, including researchers, policy
makers, service providers, caregivers and students. It has an alphabetical index and a
list of contents where sites are listed by topic.
AARP
- Retirement Planning
A section of the AARP Web site which focuses on retirement planning options,
financing retirement and other important issues.
AgeNet
An information and referral network designed to communicate information about products
and services that are important to enhancing the quality of life of older adults and their
families. Topics include: geriatric health, geriatric drugs, legal, insurance,
financial, helpful products and caregiver support.
Aging
Parents & Elder Care
This web site includes a wealth of information -- articles,
comprehensive checklists and links to key resources -- designed to
make it easier for people caring for an aging parent or elderly
spouse. It enables them to quickly find the information they
need and avoid missing things that are important in the care they
provide for their loved one.
American Association of
Homes and Services for the Aging
The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) is a national
association of not-for-profit organizations dedicated to providing high quality health
care, housing and home and community-based services primarily to the elderly. It offers a
number of publications and has a Web site listing its members and their facilities, as
well as links to a wide range of other useful sites.
American
Health Assistance Foundation
AHAF is a charitable organization that supports scientific and
medical investigations into Alzheimer's Disease, Glaucoma, Macular
Degeneration, Heart Disease, and Stroke. The site has news
stories as well as information about research the foundation is
supporting. In addition, the organizations provides emergency
financial assistance to Alzheimer's Disease patients and their
caregivers.
Annuities
Institute
The Annuities Institute is a cooperative group of retirement
planning strategists covering 48 states whose objective is to
provide advice on retirement planning and annuities. The web
site includes links to annuity companies, calculators, definitions,
case studies and other information that is helpful in understanding
an annuities investment.
Assisted Living Federation
of America
The Assisted Living Federation of America is a national nonprofit membership
organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in assisted living residences and
promoting the interests of the assisted living industry.
Assistive
Technology News Portal
News, articles, product reviews, market trends, plus product and
vendor information relating to vision, hearing, mobility, learning
and communications is available on this site from a firm called
Axistive. The company is the world's leading news portal for
assistive technology. In addition to providing free,
accessible and objective information on assistive technology
products, the company's goal is to stimulate global innovation of
easy access technologies.
CarePathways.com
CarePathways.com was created by RNs to help families find the best
care and living arrangements for their aging parents. It
offers online access to Inspection Reports of all USA
Medicare/Medicaid Nursing Homes and provides evaluations of Assisted
Living and other retirement living facilities. The site
includes a wealth of useful information to help people make
decisions about future living arrangements.
CareScout
CareScout is a company dedicated to empowering Americans with cost
savings and quality of care information on nursing homes, assisted
living facilities, and home health agencies nationwide. Its
database of 77,000 eldercare providers nationwide includes
quality-of-care information, ratings, comparative data, products,
and private-pay discounts on the cost of care.
CARF
- The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission
CARF is an independent, nonprofit organization that reviews and
grants accreditation services to senior housing institutions and
related services providers. It acquired the Continuing Care
Accreditation Commission (CCAC) in 2003 -- the nation's only
accrediting body for continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs).
CARF's Web site will provide you with lists (by state) of accredited
CCRCs and assisted living facilities. (Click
here)
Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid
Services
This site has eight major locations for information related to
Medicare and Medicaid services. Key topics
include Medicare; Medicaid; the State Children's Health Insurance
Program (SCHIP); information about the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services (CMS); information on CMS regulations &
program guidance; information on CMS research, statistics, data
& systems; information on CMS program outreach & education,
and tools and resources.
People with Medicare, family members, and caregivers
should visit Medicare.gov,
the official U.S. Government site for people with Medicare, for the
latest information on Medicare enrollment, benefits, and other
helpful tools.
Continuing Care
Accreditation Commission
The Continuing Care Accreditation Commission is the only accrediting body in the
United States for retirement communities offering a continuum of care.
It was acquired by CARF
in 2003. You can search for accredited continuing care
retirement communities on the CARF site by clicking
here. Search under Aging Services (first box) then ASContinuing
Care Retirement Communities (second box)
Disability
Information
This is a U. S. government web site designed for people with
disabilities. Called DisabilityInfo.Gov, it is part the
President's New Freedom initiative that provides one-stop access to
information and programs that facilitate day-to-day living. It
is a multi-agency initiative with information on civil rights,
education, employment, housing and transportation.
ElderCare
Advocates
This site is operated by ElderCare Advocates, a private agency that works to help
older Americans remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible. Its
quarterly online newsletter offers advice and information about housing and
caregiving.
Eldercare Locator
The Eldercare Locator is a national toll-free referral number funded
by the U. S. Administration on Aging to assist older people and
their families find community services anywhere in the
country. Administered by the National Association of Area
Agencies on Aging in cooperation with the National Association of
State Units on Aging, the Eldercare Locator connects callers to the
best state and community sources of information and assistance to
address the issues, needs, or concerns of elder persons and their
caregivers. To get help, call 800-677-1116 Monday through
Friday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM (ET). From outside the U.S.,
dial Sperix at 1-301-419-3900.
Eldercare Web
A Web site for seniors offering information on issues relating to health, aging,
social, financial, legal and has some feature stories.
ElderLawAnswers.com
Created by a nationwide network of attorneys, ElderLawAnswers.com
provides consumers with clear information on legal issues facing
seniors. Consumers may find qualified elder law attorneys by
searching by telephone area code. The site offers primers on
Medicaid, Medicare, estate planning and long-term care
planning. Handy tools include calculators and checklists.
Extended Care
Information Network
This site offers a database of 24,000 extended care providers and over 9,000 home
health care agencies. It is designed to match patient needs with providers or agencies
that can accommodate them.
Families USA
A national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high
quality, affordable health and long-term care for all Americans.
Go60.com
Site provides leading edge information about research on aging, and
how society is adjusting or not adjusting to the explosion of an
aging population.
Healthfinder
This site is a gateway to consumer health and human services information from the
U.S. government. It can lead you to publications, clearinghouses, databases, Web sites,
and support and self-help groups, as well as government agencies and not-for-profit
organizations that produce reliable information for the public.
HealthOnline
An interactive electronic community for people with a passion for health care. It
includes columns by health authorities, and information on strategies, databases,
organizations and resources. In addition, there are discussion forums and a site search
feature.
Helpguide.org
Helpguide.org is an online resource for seniors searching for
information on mental/emotional health, aging well, and
eldercare. It is a joint community project of the Rotary Club
of Santa Monica and the Center for Healthy Aging. The latter
has gained a national reputation for innovative and effective
programs and services to assist aging adults and their families with
physical, emotional and financial challenges that come with aging.
HMOs4seniors.com
A Web site dedicated to assisting seniors and their caregivers with making informed
choices regarding Medicare+Choice options. The site features annual out-of-pocket
cost comparisons for over 100 Medicare HMOs in over 50 cities. It also includes a
Medicare HMO search by zip code and provides a convenient online form to request detailed
information from Medicare HMOs. The site is maintained by HealthMetrix Research,
Inc., as a free service to the public and the media.
Housing
Services for Seniors
This site focuses on providing older persons with a wide variety of
assistance related to financing, building, maintaining and locating
housing. It has information on independent living, housing
with services, nursing facilities, assistive technology, and home
remodeling. The site is run by the Administration on Aging, a
unit of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
International
Council on Active Aging
The International Council on Aging is dedicated to changing the way
people age by uniting and working with professionals in the
retirement, assisted living, fitness, rehabilitation, and wellness
fields. Its primary focus is to changing society's perceptions
of aging and improving the quality of life for aging baby boomers
and older adults with the six dimensions of wellness. It
publishes The Journal on Active Aging, a bimonthly magazine,
a weekly newsletter, ICAA In the News, and operates a web
site with helpful research, information and tools.
It's
An Age Thing
This is a PBS television series that focuses on particular life
issues, from housing to retirement to driving, and features
interviews with everyday seniors about choices thay have made in
setting the direction of their own lives. There are 13
half-hour programs in the series which are available on VHS
videotape or DVD. For a short description of each segment and
ordering information, go to: http:/ww.wmht.org/itsanagething.org/series.
The program was first broadcast in June 2003 and PBS stations have
the right to carry it through June 2006.
The
Internet Retirement Alliance
This site is billed as the place to come for direction and
information about retirement planning. It has information
about IRAs, pensions, insurance, Social Security, and a particularly
useful news archives section.
Long
Term Care Link
A comprehensive, non-commercial site about long term care
insurance. It contains detailed links to hundreds of other
informational sites and links to LTC news announcements.
LTCinsurance.com
This site provides an unbiased information source for long-term care
insurance. Its goal is to be a guide to consumers through the
complex levels of information about LTC insurance. The site
has articles about LTC insurance and those who request a quote will
be contacted by an agent who will help them understand the options
available.
Maturity
Works
The National Council on the Aging operates a Workforce Development
Division which provides leadership and training for workforce
professionals nationwide. It also sponsors the Senior
Community Service Employment Program (with Federal money) to help
older workers find part-time jobs and receive training in
transferable skills. Also under the NCOA umbrella is the
National Association of Older Worker Employment Services, an
organization for employment service professionals.
MealCall
MealCall is a non-profit organization that helps provide the
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 web
site enables consumers to find a meal program, i.e. Meals on Wheels
or other meal delivery services, in their local area.
Medic
Alert
The MedicAlert Foundation is a non-profit healthcare informatics
organization dedicated to providing services to our members that
protect and saves lives. MedicAlert® services are built
around a repository of health information that enables members to
manage their personal health records while maintaining security,
privacy and confidentiality. As the trusted third party
custodian of comprehensive personal health information, the
MedicAlert® repository can connect to and provide critical medical
information between patients, providers, payers, and first
responders 24 hours a day anywhere in the world.
Medicare.gov
This is the official U.S. Government site for people with
Medicare. It is loaded with links and search tools to help you
find important information. Topics include the prescription
drug plan, Medicare billing, Medicare appeals, Long-term care, plan
choices, preventive services, enrollment information, and the
ombudsman center. It also includes tools enabling you to
compare Medicare prescription drug plans, hospitals in your area,
health plans and Medigap polices, nursing homes, and much
more. It also has the latest information on Medicare
enrollment and benefits.
The
Merck Manual of Geriatrics
The Merck Manual of Geriatrics focuses on the medical problems of
the elderly, providing clinical information to physicians, nurses,
pharmacists, and other health professionals involved in the care of
elderly patients.
Military
Officers Association of America
The Military Officers Association of America, formerly TROA, is an
independent, nonprofit organization that serves active duty and
retired uniformed services members, their families and
survivors. With nearly 400,000 members in 426 U.S. and
overseas chapters, MOAA plays an active role in military personnel
matters, especially proposed legislation affecting the career
force. Its web site offers a wide range of information for
active duty and retired officers, including how to join, membership
benefits, a weekly update on Congressional lobbying activities,
military news, information on health issues and finances, and much
more.
My.Medicare.gov
This web site gives registered beneficiaries the ability to view
eligibility and entitlement information, enrollment information
including prescription drug plans, deductible and address of record
information. Additionally, it provides beneficiaries with the
ability to order replacement Medicare cards, access to online forms
and publications, preventive service information and the option for
web chat assistance for any technical questions. Users of the
site can access and view the status of adjudicated claims as well as
search for a specific claim.
The National Academy of
Elder Law Attorneys
An organization that offers referrals of attorneys, judges, and other legal
professionals dedicated to helping elders with housing, health and long-term care
planning, estate planning, and other legal issues related to aging.
National Council on the
Aging
The National Council on the Aging, Inc., a private, non-profit association, is a
center of leadership and nationwide expertise on the issue of aging.
National
Family Caregivers Association
The National Family Caregivers Association educates, supports,
empowers and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who
care for loved ones with a chronic illness or disability or the
frailties of old age. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of
diagnoses, relationships and life stages to address the common needs
and concerns of all family caregivers.
Nursing
Home Abuse Resource
Dealing with nursing home abuse is a challenge for anyone.
This Web site includes information about the causes and types of
abuse, and resources that can help a family. The site is
primarily focused on helping you find a lawyer in the state where
the abuse takes place.
Pension
Action Center
The Pension Action Center provides information and is an advocacy
group for individuals experiencing problems with defined benefit or
defined contribution pension plans. It is funded by the U. S.
Administration on Aging and is based at the University of
Massachusetts in Boston. Its two main services
are the National Pension Lawyers Network and the New England Pension
Assistance Project.
The National Pension Lawyers Network is a no-cost referral
service that connects workers and retirees with professionals who
can help them understand and enforce their pension rights. It
has a panel made up of lawyers from around the country who are
available to represent workers, retirees, and their families in
pension matters on a regular-fee, reduced-fee, and/or pro bono
basis. There are approximately 640 attorneys from all 50
states and the District of Columbia on the panel.
The New England Pension Assistance Project, just for
residents of the six New England states, provides counseling and
assistance, helps locate pension funds, explains rights and benefits
under your pension plan, provides attorney referral, and has a
listing of financial advisers.
PubMed
With this site, consumers have free access to Medline, the medical database
managed by the National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine. The database
contains over 9 million summaries and abstracts from 3,800 medical journals. Its primary
audience in physicians and researchers though consumers will find it helpful.
Directory
of Services for Seniors
This comprehensive site, operated by the DHHS
Administration on Aging, provides access to a wide range of services
for seniors. It offers an overview of the range of supporting
services available to older residents in their communities through
the Older Americans Act (OAA) and other federal, state and local
programs. Included are links to access services for the
elderly, including local community organizations.
RetirementJobs.com
As a leading career Web site for job-seekers aged 50+,
RetirementJobs.com provides opportunities, inspiration, community
and counsel to people over 50 seeking work to match their
lifestyle. Their job board connects experienced workers with
tens of thousands of job listings from "Age-Friendly certified
employers. The company has partnered with Franchise
Solutions and set up a Franchise Center that will have access to
hundreds of the world's leading franchises and business
opportunities. The data base can be searched by
industry, investment range, and various categories that are
important to individuals seeking self-employment, such as
opportunities to work from a home office.
RxList
An Internet drug index which allows visitors to look up a drug by either generic or
brand name, find out about side effects, read about new drugs and learn the results of
clinical studies.
SeniorDiscounts.com
This Web site lists discounts on products and services for people
age 55 and better. The database has about 130,000 discounts
and is searchable by city/state or zip code, and over 20 categories,
including airlines, car rentals, cruises, lodging, health clubs,
online retailers, and restaurants. The company also publishes
a printed version for people who do not have access to the
Internet. A membership in SeniorDiscounts.com is required for
the printed guide.
SeniorLink
A national eldercare resource, referral and consultation web site for seniors, their
families and providers. It provides access to eldercare professionals, programs,
providers, facilities, and agencies that offer information on a variety of senior-related
services.
SeniorNet
A Web site for an international community of computer-using seniors which contains
a variety of resources.
Senior Resource
An encyclopedia of housing choices, finance and insurance pointers to help pay the
rent, aging information and specific housing resources to act on what you learn.
Senior Search
A search directory exclusively for people over age 50. Includes links to
companies in over 60 products categories.
SeniorWomenWeb
This site is for women over age 50 and has content consisting of
reviews, essays, articles, letters, links and sightings. Its
focus is on keeping women informed about issues and includes news of
concern and interest.
ShareTheCaregiving,
Inc.
This not-for-profit organization seeks to inform and educate
healthcare providers, corporations, communities, clergy,
universities, and individuals about Share The Care™, a model that
details how ordinary people can create and operate a unique extended
family-type support system to care for a friend or loved one.
It also provides links among caregivers and providers to evolve and
continually develop a model through evidence-based evaluations and
feedback from caregivers and providers.
Today's
Seniors
Whether you are retired, preparing for retirement, or just thinking
about it, Today's Seniors offers advice, tips and articles about
retirement, personal finances, Medicare benefits,
health and fitness, and more -- all aimed at helping people to
simplify their lives and get the most out of their retirement.
U.S. DHHS Administration
on Aging
A wide-ranging Web site with information designed for older Americans and their
families as well as those concerned about providing opportunities and services to enrich
the lives of older persons and support their independence. It includes many Web site links
to government and non-government resources.
U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services
This is the primary site for the U.S. Department of Health &
Human Services and provides access to a vast array of health and
medical programs offered by its 12 agencies. It is organized
as a consumer guide to the more than 300 programs it
administers. Included is a special section for seniors as well
as resource information on nursing homes, Medicare, health issues,
long term care, Eldercare Locator, elder abuse, coping and caring,
and a resource directory for older people.
USA.gov
If you need information from the U.S. government, you find a good
part of it on USA.gov. It is loaded with online information,
services, and resources. Included is a special section call Senior
Citizens' Resources which covers a wide range of Web links that
can be very helpful. It includes such topics as: consumer
Protection for Seniors; Education, Jobs, and Volunteerism for
Seniors; End-of-Life Issues; Federal and State Agencies for Seniors;
Health for Seniors; Housing for Seniors; Laws and Regulations
Concerning Seniors; Mondey and Taxes for Seniors; Retirement; and
Travel and Recreation for Seniors.
Other Non-Web Resources
