FAMILY RESOURCES
AHCA NCAL Advocacy Center
Be an advocate for long term care. You can make a big difference in just 5 minutes. That's all it will take to learn the issues and send a letter to your elected officials. The actions of our government have an enormous impact so please educate yourself and take action. Visit the AHCA NCAL Advocacy Center at http://capwiz.com/ahca/home/ to learn more about the issues and how you can help!
Guide to Legal Issues in Life-Limiting Conditions
The guide provides an overview of the principal legal and practical issues that arise in the care of individuals who face a life-limiting condition or who care for a loved one with a life-limiting condition. The following one-page summaries provide an overview of the issues covered in each chapter of the guidebook.
We All Need to Plan for the Future
Choosing an Independent Living Arrangement
Long Term Care Options
Choosing a Long Term Care Facility
Settling Into a Long Term Care Facility
Care and Comfort at the End of Life
National Family Caregiver Support Program
The Caregiver Resource Room provides information about The National Family Caregiver Support Program including support and assistance for family and services for caregivers.
CaringBridge
CaringBridge® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization offering free personalized Web sites to those wishing to stay in touch with family and friends during significant life events. CaringBridge authors quickly and easily create personalized Web sites that display journal entries and photographs. Well-wishers visit the site to read updates and leave messages in the Guestbook.
The Iowa Able Foundation
The Iowa Able Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps Iowans with disabilities, their families, and older Iowans obtain assistive technology and adaptive equipment they need to maintain and increase their independence. By providing low interest loans, their goal is to help Iowans increase their independence at home, at work, and in the community. For more information, click here.
GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
Own Your Future
Own Your Future is a valuable resource that will help you prepare for the long-term care needs you may have in the coming years. Planning for long-term care is smart, so order or download your free kit and start planning now!
National Clearinghouse for Long Term Care Information
The National Clearinghouse of Long Term Care Information website provides comprehensive information about long term care planning, services and financing options, along with tools to help people begin the planning process.
Administration on Aging: Elders and Families
The Administration on Aging web page for Elders and Families assists older persons and their caregivers with information and resources on aging-related topics.
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website for Medicare and Medicaid.
Medicare
The official U.S. Government site for people with Medicare.
Nursing Home Compare
Medicare’s site for detailed information about the performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in the country.
Social Security Administration
The official website for information on Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
Veterans Administration
The official U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website with information on the programs and services offered by the U.S. Veterans Administration.
SPECIAL NEEDS RESOURCES
Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and an eventual cure for Alzheimer’s. They provide services to families and professionals, including information and referral, support groups, care consultation, education and safety services.
Alzheimers' resource for families
Families of Alzheimer's patients have access to DIALZ, an hour long teleconference educational opportunity offered once a month. During each program participants can listen, learn and ask questions. For more information and a schedule of topics, see the tele-education program brochure at http://www.alzeci.org/images/2007dialzbrochure.pdf.
MR/DD Living
A guide to homes and residential services for persons with mental retardation or developmental disabilities.
AGING RESOURCES
Fall prevention tips
The coming of winter heralds the coming of fracture season for the elderly, due to falls triggered by a combination of colder weather and shorter, darker days, say researchers. Fall prevention tips can be found at the following websites: National Safety Council: www.nsc.org; National Council on Aging: www.ncoa.org; Home Modification Resource Center: www.homemods.org; National Institute on Aging: www.nia.nih.gov; Home Safety Council: www.homesafetycouncil.org/family.
Americans need to take responsibility for planning for long term care needs
Washington, DC -- The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) today said the results of Genworth Financial’s new “2007 Cost of Care Survey” – which found the average national cost of care in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home-based care increased 15% since 2004 – should serve as a reminder to every American that they should begin planning for their own long term care needs, and take more personal responsibility for their retirement.
“The findings of the new Genworth study should serve as a wake up call to every American that the staggering costs of retirement can quickly overwhelm one’s savings in a disastrous manner,” said Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “With 77 million baby boomers rapidly approaching the age when many will require long term care, it is essential for Congress to pass laws enabling every citizen to equip themselves with the tools necessary to pay for and receive care in the most appropriate setting for their condition.”
Yarwood commended Congress for recently passing legislation expanding citizens’ ability to purchase state-approved long term care insurance policies. “Through recently passed tax laws, Congress and the President have taken initial steps towards boosting Americans’ ability to save for and ultimately fund the long term care services that best meets one’s needs,” Yarwood continued. “But far more must be done – including a more extensive public education effort designed to improve public awareness of the fact individuals must take more responsibility for their retirement health costs.”
The AHCA/NCAL President and CEO pointed to a separate national poll associated with the Genworth study which found 75 percent of Americans have made no long term care plans and 59 percent expressed concern about being able to pay for long term care. The poll also revealed that almost half of the respondents (44 percent) incorrectly believe that either Medicare or their private health insurance will pay for their long term care needs. In actuality, health insurance and the federal Medicare program generally do not cover long term care.
“With Americans living longer, and with those 85 and above America’s fastest growing demographic, another overriding message from the Genworth survey is that there will be an ongoing, consistent need for facility-based skilled nursing care,” Yarwood added. “It must be the policy of Congress and the Administration to bolster our long term care sector in a manner that is consistent with our nation’s growing demand for care in all settings – including facility-based care.”