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!
Consumer Tip Sheet
The Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign recently released a Consumer Tip Sheet that provides 10 points to help nursing home residents and family members better understand important care issues and the significance of measuring resident and family satisfaction.
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.
Medicare Basics: A Guide for Families & Friends of People with Medicare
A useful tool for persons unfamiliar with Medicare or the other resources that are available for the person in need of care. It can also be helpful to those who just want to brush up on what they already know.
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.
Having a family conversation
Department of Elder Affairs Director John McCalley reminded Iowans that family holiday get-togethers are a good time to begin important conversations about advance directives and the specific wishes of family members to have a say in their own well being as part of planning for the future. Click here for more information.
Ready Video Blog Helps Americans Prepare for Emergencies
The Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign hosts a number of emergency preparedness video blogs and it is looking for Americans who have recently experienced an emergency situation to help tell other Americans why it is important to take steps in advance to prepare. The blogs are divided into three categories, Ready America, Ready Business, and Ready Kids, and they aim to inspire more Americans to get an emergency supply kit, make an emergency plan and to be informed about the different emergencies that can happen.
To search blogs that may help prepare you in an emergency situation, go to click here to choose from the three categories.
To learn how to submit a video blog and to learn more about the Ready Campaign, click here.
Veterans Benefits Reference Guide Now Available
The latest edition of VA’s Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors is now available. The 164-page handbook provides the latest information on important changes in eligibility for VA medical care and benefits. It describes other federal benefits, including education, disability compensation, pension, home loan guarantee, vocational rehabilitation, life insurance, and burial assistance. This year’s addition marks the addition of “Survivors” to the title as well as details on the post 9/11 bill signed into law in 2008. Printed copies may be ordered from the Government Printing Office at $5 a copy. To get the online version, please click here.
CONSUMER RESOURCES
“Private right of action” - What consumers need to know
The Private Right of Action consumer protection law went into effect on July 1, 2009. Iowa has joined 49 other states in creating a private remedy for consumer fraud. The law is a very important tool for consumers who have been cheated by consumer fraud or deception. For more information see the Consumer Advisor Bulletin from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.