San Antonio Injury Lawyer & Attorney : The McKinney Law Firm : Auto Accidents, Wrongful Death, Work Accidents : Bexar County, Travis County, South Texas

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We have put together a list of websites that have items of interest for seniors and those that care for seniors.  We hope you find it helpful. 

GENERAL SITES

Senior’s Center - This general site covers a broad spectrum of subjects: geriatric health concerns, long-term care, elderhostels, grandchildren, living wills, sexuality and aging and LincAmerica which allows a senior to register "medical history, current medications, doctors of record, insurance form, people to contact, and any other significant information" for medical personnel in case of an emergency.

SeniorOptions - "SeniorOptions is a public service Internet site providing comprehensive, yet local (city or county) directories identifying the facilities, agencies, firms, practices, and businesses who help older adults through out (sic) the United States."

Senior Resource™ - This site is divided into several broad categories: understanding aging (positive aging; sociologic, physical, and metabolic changes), housing choices (relocation options), resources by state, finance (Social Security, estate planning, trusts, reverse mortgages), and insurance (Medicare, supplemental insurance, auto and life insurance).

The Senior Center - This site contains information of relevance to seniors, including information on travel discounts, bookstores, medical information, web giveaways, and more.

Yahoo! Seniors’ Guide - This page specifically aimed to seniors provides links to Cool Sites and Top Picks in a wide array of subjects, such as recreation and sports, travel, gardening, finance, health, books, food and dining, genealogy, computers, organizations, and government.

Eldercare Web - An excellent umbrella site for just about any topic of interest to seniors.

The Resource Directory for Older People - This Resource Directory which is a cooperative effort of the National Institute on Aging and the Administration on Aging provides "names, addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers of organizations which provide information and other resources on matters relevant to the needs of older persons."

SeniorsSearch - "The only search directory exclusively for the over 50 age group," this site begins with 62 categories which each have more specific subcategories and web page listings.

agepage.com - This information and resource directory supports the "aging population, elderly, homebound, disabled, physically challenged, senior citizens, caregivers."

ORGANIZATIONS FOR SENIORS

AARP - This is the site for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), one of the largest and most influential associations of people over the age of 50. The AARP site has loads of information on member benefits, volunteer and community programs and issues and advocacy. This site is also searchable.

The 60 Plus Association - "A nonpartisan seniors advocacy group with a free enterprise, less government, less taxes approach to senior issues." Users can read legislative alerts, see how their Congressional representatives are voting and peruse press releases.

National Council of Senior Citizens - Designed for seniors to use, this site is written in large type and is easy to navigate. It provides seniors with information on their insurance plans and other benefits of membership. It also provides a list of web sites of interest to seniors.

NARFE - The National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) "is the only association dedicated to protecting the earned retirement benefits of federal employees, retirees, and their survivors." Visitors will find information on local chapters, the executive board, member benefits, and legislative agendas.

SeniorNet - SeniorNet is a nonprofit organization for computer-using seniors. Although there is a cost for membership, members are eligible for discounts on computer-related products, computer classes, and a quarterly newsletter.

HELPFUL AGENCIES

Texas Department on Aging - Originally formed to "administer programs funded by the Older Americans Act," the Texas Department on Aging (TDoA) continues to provide programs and services to Texans over 60 so that they can "maintain their health, personal independence, dignity and ability to contribute to society."

Texas Aging Sites Index - This directory page links to state agencies, area agencies on aging, local agencies, and other directory pages with a direct link to Texas sites.

The National Council on Aging - The National Council on Aging (NCOA) "is a center of leadership and nationwide expertise in the issues of aging".

National Institute on Aging - The National Institute on Aging (NIA) "promotes healthy aging by conducting and supporting biomedical, social, and behavioral research and public education."

Leadership Council of Aging Organizations - "The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations is a coalition of national non-profit organizations concerned with the well-being of America’s older population and committed to representing their interests in the policy-making arena."

Department of Veteran Affairs - This searchable site from the Veterans Affairs Department contains information on benefits, facilities, special programs, and the organizational structure of the Veterans Affairs. It also provides a list of related links.

Administration on Aging - The Administration on Aging (AoA) provides extensive information for seniors, their families, their doctors, and their caregivers.

  WORK AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Green Thumb Web Site - "Green Thumbs, Inc., is America’s oldest and largest provider of mature- and disadvantaged-worker training and employment" and as such, operates the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), a federal program, which "provides training and employment opportunities to low-income, older Americans residing in rural areas." SCSEP participants must be 55 years of age or older and meet federal income guidelines. Green Thumb also operates "older worker training projects across the country…(that) involve occupational skills, classroom, or on-the-job training."

Senior Corps - This site provides information for people over 55 with volunteer opportunities in their communities. Programs available include Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, and Retired and Senior Volunteers. Senior Corps is a division of the Corporation for National Service.

San Antonio OASIS - OASIS which stands for the Older Adult Service and Information System "is a national education organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for older adults" ages 55 and older. Membership is free. Program topics comprise arts and humanities, health, fitness, consumer interests, and travel. Member volunteer opportunities include intergenerational tutoring in schools in the Northside Independent School District and working at the OASIS Center. A link to the National OASIS home page is provided.

ELDER ABUSE

NCEA National Center on Elder Abuse - This site serves as a clearinghouse to disseminate information and fact sheets on what elder abuse really is. It defines the major types of elder abuse as physical, sexual, emotional or psychological, neglect, abandonment, financial or material exploitation, and self-neglect. It discusses why elder abuse occurs and who are the perpetrators and it lists state and local agencies such as Adult Protective Services, State Elder Abuse Hotlines, Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, and others.

Elder Abuse: What Is It? What to Do About It? - This brochure from the Access to Justice Network describes what elder abuse is, tells who abuses and who is abused, explains why it happens and what should be done to prevent it.

The Elder Abuse Home Page - This site is part of Project B.E.A.R.: Building Elder Abuse Resources. It defines elder abuse, discusses policy, education and research, offers a selected bibliography on this topic, and links to other related sites on the Web.

LEGAL RESOURCES

SeniorLaw Home Page - "This is a Web site where senior citizens, their families, attorneys, social workers, and financial planners, can access information about Elder Law (Elderlaw), Medicare, Medicaid, estate planning, trusts and the rights of the elderly and disabled." In addition, this site provides many more links to additional Internet sites on those topics and more, such as long term care insurance, elder abuse and neglect, and federal and state government and federal court resources. There is a form available on the SeniorLaw Search Engine page that enables the user to search the text of all the files at SeniorLaw.

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. - This non-profit association geared to attorneys provides educational information and "networking and assistance to those who must deal with the many specialized issues involved with legal services to the elderly and disabled." Hot Links connect you to associations, organizations, community resources and social services, other legal resources, and state and federal resources.

Bet Tzedek Legal Services - This site provides extensive consumer information on social security, Medicare, and nursing homes (including Medicaid eligibility rules).

Crash Course in Wills & Trusts - This "course is a concise and practical guide" to wills and trusts. Topics included are the disposition of property, the probate process, a simple living trust, tax issues, estate planning, specialized trusts, living wills, guardianship, and durable power of attorney.

On-Line Guide to Nursing Home Law - This guide to nursing homes answers such questions as how to pay for nursing home care and how to ensure quality care.

Older Americans Act - Cornell University provides the full-text of the Older Americans Act from the United States Code Title 42 Chapter 35 Programs for Older Americans.

The Administration on Aging and the Older Americans Act - This fact sheet put out by the Administration on Aging explains the Older Americans Act, state and community programs, research and resources, and aging in the future.

National Senior Citizens Law Center - The National Senior Citizens Law Center provides advocacy for low income elderly individuals. "Requests may be made by telephone, by mail or by e-mail. NSCLC is available to serve in a purely supportive or advisory capacity, as active co-counsel, or as lead counsel in litigation and administrative aging matters." This site also provides extensive links to resources on the following topics: age discrimination, Medicaid, Medicare, nursing homes, Older Americans Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, pension rights, and Social Security/SSI.

AVOIDING FRAUD

Avoiding Fraud When Buying Long-Term Care Insurance: A Guide For Consumers and Their Families - This 39-page document was "undertaken to alert, educate, and warn consumers and their families" about major problems and traps of long-term insurance policies.

Protecting Senior Texans - The Elder Law and Public Health Division of the Office of Attorney General of Texas investigates and prosecutes businesses that defraud senior citizens. This site includes information about Medicaid fraud control, preventing elder abuse and neglect, selecting a nursing home, the rights of the elderly, and TRIAD (Crime Prevention for Seniors). It also offers consumer protection brochures, a legal column, and links to other resources for elders.

Consumer Alerts - Some of the alerts issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are home equity loans, reverse mortgages, buying a used car, hiring a contractor, investment fraud, and telephone scams.

Fighting Fraud Against Older Consumers - This site provides special tips for seniors to deal with telemarketing fraud. It tells how to report fraud and discusses the Elder Fraud Project.

The Better Business Bureau - The Better Business Bureau (BBB) provides alerts and news, consumer advice and information, business advice and information, scam alerts and advisories, and reports on companies. The BBB Help Desk offers information and assistance on BBB Business Reports and complaint handling. The Resource Library provides consumer buying guides and business publications. You can search to locate the Better Business Bureau serving your community at this site.

MEDICARE

Medicare - This is the official web site for the United States Government Medicare information. This searchable site covers what is Medicare and managed care; offers contacts and publications, and reports about fraud and abuse and how to report it. The site provides "Medicare Compare (which) is an interactive database for Medicare beneficiaries and people involved in their care…(It) provides easy access to information about Medicare managed care plans, including costs, premiums and types of services provided." En español

Texas Information-Have a Question About? - If you have questions about your Medicare bill; getting Medicare, other health insurance, and other benefits; your health plan choices; the Railroad Retirement Board; or complaints, appeals, and other Medicare rights, this site answers them by providing the appropriate contact information.

HCFA: The Medicare and Medicaid Agency - The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) is "the federal agency that administers the Medicare, Medicaid, and Child Health Insurance Programs." The Beneficiaries page is the first stop in exploring this site. It provides links so that you can find local contacts, report suspected cases of fraud, get a Medicare Handbook, gather information on managed care or keeping your health insurance, and more. Other sections are Plans & Providers, States, Researchers, and Students. There is a lengthy FAQ that answers many questions about Medicare, nursing home coverage, fraud and abuse, Medicaid, Medigap, expenditures, and health care outlook.

HMOs for Medicare Beneficiaries - Information about HMOs for Medicare beneficiaries gathered by the Texas Department of Insurance. Many questions about HMOs are answered here, including costs, advantages and disadvantages, HMO laws, and deciding on whether or not to join an HMO. Telephone numbers and addresses are given for state agencies as well as Texas HMO Plans for further information.

On-Line Guide to Medicare - Bet Tzedek Legal Services offers a questions-and-answers site that covers various topics about Medicare such as eligibility, premiums, services provided under parts A and B, the appeal process, Medigap insurance policies, and signing over Medicare benefits to an HMO.

NURSING HOMES AND LONG-TERM CARE

American Health Care Association - The American Health Care Association: The Association of the Long-Term Care Community (AHCA) "is a federation of 50 state health organizations, together representing nearly 12,000 non-profit and for-profit assisted living, nursing facility, long term care, and subacute care providers that care for more than one million elderly and disabled individuals nationally." Even though it is geared primarily to association members, this site does have a "Consumer Information" section that defines nursing facilities, subacute care, and assisted living, and offers suggestions on selecting the proper level of care. Other subjects covered are advanced directives, making the transition to nursing facility life, Alzheimer’s Disease, paying for nursing facilities, long term insurance, and the "myths and realities of living in a nursing facility."

Mr. Long-Term Care - The LTC Resources section of this site has reading rooms with suggested booklists; facts and figures about long term care, Social Security and Medicare 1998; legislative news; and important issues. You can participate in an interactive discussion forum, locate nursing homes, and link to other resources and websites.

HomeCare/Hospice Locator - This database, copyrighted by the National Association for Home Care, contains more than 28,100 home care and hospice agencies and can be used to identify home care providers in the desired locale. Simply fill out the form using either the city, the state, or the first three digits of the zipcode and check the appropriate boxes to designate agency classification, Medicare/Medicaid certification, licensure, and accreditation, programs and services offered.

Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home - This guide is published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), the federal agency that oversees Medicare and Medicaid. This site provides information on selecting a nursing home including long-term care options, gathering information, visiting nursing homes, treatment and services after admission, and a nursing home checklist.

How to Choose a Nursing Home - This short document put out by the Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Information Center offers suggestions that will help determine "what type of care that your family member will receive at a nursing home."

Federal Laws Regulating Nursing Homes - In order for a nursing facility to participate in Medicare/Medicaid, it must comply with the rules outlined in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations [42 CFR Part 483]. This document outlines what a nursing home must have and do under those regulations.

LINKS FOR CAREGIVERS

Family Caregiver Alliance - This easy-to-use site provides support for "caregivers of adults with Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and related brain disorders." In addition to serving as a clearinghouse for information on statistics, research, and public policy, it includes over forty fact sheets on various diseases and disorders and caregiving issues as well as twelve reading lists. The search feature allows the user to do a local search for documents at this site as well as an Internet search using Excite.

The Caregiver’s Handbook - The Caregiver’s Handbook: Assisting Both the Caregiver and the Elderly Carereceiver is a full-text nine-part online guide to the common problems in caregiving, the types of help available, caring for the caregiver, personal care, nutrition, medical aspects of caregiving, emotional and intellectual well-being, legal and financial affairs, liability of caregiving, and selecting a residential care facility.

American Federation of Home Health Agencies - The American Federation of Home Health Agencies (AFHHA), "a trade association representing primarily free-standing, Medicare-certified, home care providers," focuses on legislative and regulatory issues in Washington, D.C. This site includes links to AFHHA’s documents and position papers on various issues as well as governmental links to legislation and members of the Senate Finance Committee, the House Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.

Community Health Accreditation Program - Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) accredits all home and community-based health-care organizations and provides the public with information about accredited organizations. The CHAP Gold Seal indicates that the home health care provider meets the highest quality standard in the industry. The government has designated CHAP for "deemed status" which indicates that CHAP’s Standards of Excellence met or exceeded the government’s own standards for Medicare certification.

HomeCare On-Line - This virtual headquarters of the National Association for Home Care (NAHC) provides information about meetings, conferences, legislation, regulations, and publications for providers, consumers, and students in the home care and hospice industries.

IANet: The Interactive Aging Network - This site is geared toward service professionals and organizations which provide services to older adults. It has organized information that may be of some use to the seniors they work with. Topics include advocacy, research, health, housing, and more.

The McKinney Law Firm represents seniors and their families in cases of elder abuse and nursing home abuse.  If you need help, please contact us for a consultation.




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