AgePlan^® Resources

The following is a directory of information and services for the elderly, their families, or other care providers. It includes information and links to services on the Internet for the elderly. These are divided into categories of Federal, National, State, and Local programs. Many of these Internet addresses are, or will be, linked to each other. In order to save time for the user, the addresses will be listed separately, so that you may follow a single link to the information you seek. This list contains only a sample of the resources that are available on the Internet for the elderly.

Information Disclaimer: All of the following linking material is provided as an example of various services that are available. This information is provided as a resource. We claim no responsibility, nor is this a recommendation for use of a particular service.

Area Agency on Aging (AAA): Means a Type B Area Agency on Aging, which is an established public agency with a planning and service area designated under Section 305 of the Older Americans Act, which has responsibility for local administration of division programs. For the purpose of these rules, AAA's contract with the division to perform specific activities in relation to licensing Assisted Living Facilities including receiving applications; conducting inspections and investigations regarding protective service, abuse and neglect, monitoring, and making recommendations to the Division regarding Assisted Living License approval, denial, revocation, suspension, non-renewal, and civil penalties.

Abuse: Means any act or abuse of action inconsistent with prescribed resident care. This includes but not limited to:

• Physical assault such as hitting, kicking, scratching, pinching, choking, or pushing. Neglect of care, including improper administration of medication(s), failure to seek appropriate medical care, inadequate changing of beds or cloths, and failure to help with personal grooming.
• Denying meals, cloths, or aids to physical functioning.
• Use of derogatory or inappropriate names, phrases, or profanity; ridicule: harassment coercion; treats; cursing; intimidation; or sexual exploitation.
• Placing unreasonable restriction on residents, which violates the Bill of Rights.
• Using restraints, except when residents actions present an imminent danger to self or others and only until appropriate action is taken by medical, emergency or police personnel.
• Financial Exploitation which includes, but is not limited to, unreasonable rate increases, borrowing from or loaning money to residents, witnessing wills in which the providers is the beneficiary adding providers name to resident bank accounts or other personal property with the approval of family or case manager, inappropriately expending residents personal funds, co-mingling residents funds with the provider or other residents funds, or becoming guardians or conservator.

Activities of Daily Living (ADL): Means those personal functional activities required by an individual for continued well-being including eating/nutrition, dressing, personal hygiene, mobility, toileting and behavioral management. There are three categories a person falls into:

• Independent: means the resident can perform the ADL without help.
• Assistance: means the resident cannot perform some parts of an activity; it must be some assistance by someone else.
• Dependent: means the resident cannot perform any part of an activity; it must be done entirely by someone else.

Aging in Place Means the process by which a person chooses to remain in his/her living environment (home) despite the physical and/or mental decline that may occur, needed services are added, increased or adjusted to compensate for the physical and or mental decline of the individual.

Adult Foster Home Means a family home or facility in which residential care is provided in a home-like environment for five or fewer adults who are not related to the provider by blood or marriage. Adult foster homes have 3 grade levels ranging from level 1 to 3. Level 1 having the least amount of care provided-24 hours. There is onsite assistance – help with bathing, toileting, room cleaning, menu preparation and cooking, oral medication. Level 3 is the maximum amount of care provided in their class range-special diets, injections, treatments, lifting, health monitoring, and requiring the facility to have on duty at all times is a Licensed Practical Nurse or Registered Nurse. When inquiring about an Adult Foster Home, be certain of the care they provide and their licensing to do so. Make sure you're loved one falls within guidelines established by their state of residence.

Advanced Care Directive Is a legal and binding instrument which must be witnessed and signed by the senior when they are is sound mind. The document defines the care wishes should he/she become unable to make their desires known at a later date. The directive contains such issues as: Artificial life support, resuscitation, sustenance and other care.

Assisted Living Care Generally consists of an independent studio, or apartment-style lining in a secure building and may provide by contractual agreement, some services such as meals, laundry care, housekeeping, recreation, travel, social stimulus and 24 hour on-site help. Assisted living promoters resident self-direction and participation in decisions that emphasizes choice, dignity, privacy, individuality, independence, and homelike surroundings. (see Residential Care)

Alzheimer's Disease: (pronounced Alz'-hi'merz) is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. The Alzheimer's association has developed a list of warning signs that include common symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.

1. Memory Loss: One of the most common early signs of dementia is forgetting recently learned information. While it's normal to forget appointments, names, or telephone numbers, those with dementia will forget such things more often and not remember them later.
2. Difficulty Performing Familiar Tasks:People with dementia often find it hard to complete everyday tasks that are so familiar we usually do not think about how to them. A person with Alzheimer's may not know the steps for preparing a meal, using a household appliance, or participating in a life long hobby.
3. Problems with Language: Everyone has trouble finding the right word sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer's disease often forgets simple words or substitutes usual words, making his or her speech or writing hard to understand.
4. Disorientation to Time and Place: It is normal to forget the day of the week or where you're going. But people with Alzheimer's disease can become lost on their own street, forget where they are and hoe they got there, and know how to get back home.
5. Poor or Decreased Judgment: No one has perfect judgment all of the time. Those with Alzheimer's may dress without regard to the weather, wearing several shirts or blouses on a warm day or very little clothing in cold weather.
6. Problems with Abstract Thinking: Balancing a checkbook may be hard when the task is more complicated than usual. Someone with Alzheimer's disease could forget completely what the numbers are and what needs to be done with them.
7. Misplacing Things: Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or key. A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places: an iron in a freezer, a wristwatch in the sugar bowl, or a sandwich under the sofa.
8. Changes in Mood or Behavior: Everyone can become sad or moody, form time to time. Someone with Alzheimer's disease can show rapid mood swings--from calm to tears to anger--for no apparent reason.
9. Changes in Personality: People's personalities ordinarily change somewhat in age. But a person with Alzheimer's disease can change a lot, becoming extremely
10. Loss of Initiative: It's normal to tire of housework, business activities, or social obligations at times. The person with Alzheimer's disease may become passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping more than usual, or not wanting to do activities.

Alzheimer's Care Unit Means a special care unit is designated, separated area for patients and residents with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia that is locked, segregated and secured to prevent limit access by a patient or resident outside the designated or segregated area.

Disabled means an individual who has a physical or mental impairment which for the individual constitutes or results in functional limitation to one or more major life activities.

Elderly Means an individual who is 62 years of age or older.

Facility Means a nursing home, residential care facility, assisted living facility or any other like facility required to be licensed by the Senior and Disabled Services Division.

Guardian An individual appointed by the courts who is authorized to make legal and financial decisions for another individual.

Home Health Agency A public or private agency providing coordinated home health services on a home health basis.

Home Health Services Means items or services furnished to an individual by a home health agency, or by others under arrangements such as an agency, on a visiting basis for the purpose of maintaining that individual at home.

Home Medical Supply Company Is a business that provides durable medical supplies such as wheelchairs, hoyer lifts, hospital beds, commodes, and other relative equipment necessary to maintain the security, comfort and safety of an elderly person residing in their own home or that of a facility. Many times, Medicaid or Medicare will pay part or all the costs toward the rental, or purchase, of necessary equipment if the residents doctor has written a prescription order for the item, and it is deemed necessary for the health of the resident. They also provide oxygen and oxygen equipment, incontinent supplies, colostomy and urostomy devices, syringes and other forms of medical supplies or apparatus.

Hospice Programs Means a coordinated program of home and inpatient, available 24 hours a day that utilized an interdisciplinary team of personnel trained to provide palliative and supportive services to a patient-family unit experiencing a life threatening disease with a limited prognosis. Hospice Services Means items and services provided to a patient family unit by a hospice program or by other individuals or community agencies under a consulting or contractual arrangement with a hospice program. Hospice services include acute, respite, home care and bereavement services provided to meet the physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and other special needs of a patient family unit during the final stages of illness, dying and the bereavement period.

Meals on Wheels Is a world-wide concept with organizations everywhere, who provide nutritious meals to people who are homebound and/or disabled, or would otherwise be unable to maintain their dietary needs. Meals on Wheels seeks to provide the best quality of food and nutrition for the least price to its clients.

Medical Transport Company is a business that has vans set up for wheelchairs, and in some instances gurneys that will come to the home, nursing home, or facility and transport a resident to a doctors appointment, physical therapy, or other health related requirements. Drivers are often skilled at lifting and moving the patient, and will either remain with the patient until the appointment is over, or return at a specified time to pick the resident up and return them to their residence.

Nutrition Site is a place where meals are served once a day to ensure that seniors get at least at least one good balanced meal per day. Usually these are located at senior centers, local churches, schools, community buildings or fraternal organizations.

Nursing Homes are categorized into two groups:

• Skilled Nursing Facility. Whether an institution or a distant part of an institution which primarily engaged in providing to inpatient skilled nursing care and related services for patients who require medical or nursing care , or rehabilitation services for the rehabilitation of injured, disabled or sick persons.
• Intermediate Care Facility. Which provides, on a regular basis, health related care and services to individuals who do not require the degree of care and treatment which a hospital or skilled nursing facility is designed to provide, but who because of their mental or physical available to them only through institutional facilitate.

Power of Attorney. Is a legal instrument by which a person signs over his/her rights to another to act in his/her behalf in carrying out certain designated duties of buying, selling, paying bills and handling other various tasks. The party who signs over the power of attorney must be in sound mind and completely knowledgeable at the time of the signing. This is revocable by either party, at any time or in the event one of the parties becomes incapacitated.

Residential Care. Means services such as supervision, protection, assistance while bathing, dressing, grooming or eating, management of money, transportation, recreation, and the providing of room and board.

Residential Care Facility. Means a facility that provides, for six or more physically disabled or socially dependent individuals, residential care in on or more contiguous properties.

Retirement Homes. May encompass many, some, or all of the services provided by other homes. The term is a broad one, and is used in the name of many facilities or apartment buildings. Be sure that the home you have chosen is legally licensed to provide the services one needs and is not just room and board, particularly if some type of assistance is essential to the health and welfare of your loved one.

Senior Apartments. Are generally located in a secure building, or on secure grounds in a single building, cottages, or multi-plexis. Most are income subsidized which allows seniors to live in decent safe, sanitary environments on fixed incomes. Seniors live independently with regard to cooking housekeeping, laundry, travel and general activities of daily living. Most have organized apartment associations that provide recreational areas, outings, travel and activities for seniors. It is great alternative to a senior living isolated or alone, as it provides for socialization, mental and physical stimuli, and wards off depression that is common ailment among the elderly.

American Association of Retired People

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people 50 and over. They provide information and resources; advocate on legislative, consumer, and legal issues; assist members to serve their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits, special products, and services for their members. These benefits include AARP Web place at www.aarp.org, Modern Maturity and My Generation magazines, and the monthly AARP Bulletin. Active in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands, AARP celebrates the attitude that age is just a number and life is what you make it.

Alzheimer's Association

The Alzheimer's Association, a national network of chapters, is the largest national voluntary health organization committed to finding a cure for Alzheimer's and helping those affected by the disease. The Alzheimer's Association is your source for information, support and assistance on issues related to early onset Alzheimer's and Alzheimer's disease.

The American Federation of Aging Research

America's leading private organization supporting new investigators conducting biomedical aging research. The fact sheets are designed for professionals in the field of aging. Each fact sheet includes and overview of the subject and details related to Administration on aging initiatives. The fact sheets include the following:

New York Memory and Healthy Aging Services

http://www.nymemory.org

New York Memory and Healthy Aging Services provides information on the ABC's of aging, early onset Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's, estrogen and memory.

Eldercare Locator

Hospice Foundation of America

http://www.hospicefoundation.org/pages/page.asp?
page_id=45851

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

http://www.n4a.org/

National Association of Aging and Nutrition Services

http://www.nanasp.org/

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

http://www.nhpco.org/templates/1/
homepage.cfm

USA.gov List of Senior Resources

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors.shtml

http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Home.aspx

Fitness Facts for Older Americans

http://perfectpartspilates.com/ 
During the lifetimes of older Americans there have been revolutionary changes in how we live and work and eat. Even more importantly, there has been a revolution in what we know about living long and living well. Today, our scientific knowledge regarding exercise, nutrition, and other areas of health is being added to and revised so rapidly that unless you have the latest facts, you can easily be following outmoded recommendations.

Nutrition Information: http://nutritionandaging.fiu.edu/

Home Modification and Repair

http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Press_Room/Products_Materials/fact/pdf/Home_Modification.pdf

Home Modification and Repair includes adaptations to homes that can make it easier and safer to carry out activities such as bathing, cooking, and climbing stairs and alterations to the physical structure of the home to improve its overall safety and condition.

Disaster Assistance

http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Preparedness/Resources_Network/manual/disaster_assist_manual_II.aspx

Annually, natural disasters occur through floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, and some may be serious enough that they are Presidentially declared. This declaration brings to bear the resources of the federal government in order to restore the public facilities of a community and to assist individuals in restoring their lives.

Transportation Services

http://seniortransportation.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=NCST2_homepage

Transportation is the critical link that assures access to vital services such as health care and going to the grocery store. The availability of adequate transportation allows older Americans to live independently in their communities and helps prevent isolation and premature institutionalization. For many older people who do not drive an automobile, family and friends provide much of the transportation. However for others, community transportation is the only connection to the outside world.

Caregivers, Caregiving and Home Care Workers

http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=407

As a care giver, you are one of 12 million Americans who spend all or part of their day assisting 5 million family members or friends who need help to remain at home. Many caregivers have multiple responsibilities. The great majority of caregivers are women (75 percent)— a quarter of whom care for both parents and children. Half of all caregivers also work outside the home.

Looking Out For Depression

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001521.htm

Depression is an illness that affects many older people. It generally affects their physical as well as their mental well-being. Fortunately, it is a highly treatable illness. Complete, or at least partial improvement, can be obtained in eighty to ninety percent of cases.

Vaccinations-Aren’t Just Kid Stuff
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Performance-Snapshots/Immunizations/Immunization-of-Elderly-Adults.aspx

An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Americans die each year from three major infections- influenza, hepatitis B, pneumococcal pneumonia. Public health experts recommend annual influenza vaccination and a one-time pneumococcal vaccination for the elderly, which can prevent many hospitalizations and premature deaths (ACIP 1997; Harper et al. 2005).

The John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing

http://hartfordign.org/
The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing seeks to shape the quality of health care older Americans receive by promoting the highest level of geriatric competence in all nurses. By raising the standards of nursing care, the Hartford Institute aims to ensure that people age with optimal function, comfort, and dignity.

Healthfinder

http://www.healthfinder.gov
Healthfinder is a free guide to reliable consumer health and human services information, developed by the U.S. Department Health and Human Services. Healthfinder can lead you to selected online 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.

The Huffington Center on Aging

http://www.hcoa.org
One of the most advanced aging research programs in the country. Especially prominent are our programs in cell and molecular biology of aging, cardiovascular disease, ethics and outcomes research. Research geriatricians and gerontologists are trained through a NIA-funded aging research training grant and an approved geriatrics fellowship program that offers two additional years of research training for those interested in academic research careers. Research enrichment, including opportunities to visit laboratories in this country and abroad, is afforded by the generosity of several foundations.

Institute on Aging and Environment

http://www.uwm.edu/dept/IAE
The Institute was funded by the Helen Daniels-Bader Charitable Trust in 1990 to promote research, scholarship, and service concerning environments for older persons, particularly those suffering from cognitive impairments. The mission of the Institute on Aging and Environment is the enhancement of the quality of life of older persons in our society through improvement of, and innovation in housing institutional, and service setting. This mission is to be advanced through facilitation and conduct of aging-environment research, university and community education focused on issues of aging and environment, and innovative environmental planning, programming, and design practice.

Institute for Health & Aging

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

http://www.jcaho.org
JCAHO is continuously improving the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of healthcare accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations.

Mid-America Congress on Aging (MACA)

http://www.lgrossman.com/maca.htm
MACA’s mission is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, skills, and expertise in the field of aging and thereby advance best practice in meeting the needs and potential of older adults in Mid-America. MACA’s organizational goals are:

To convene an annual conference
To promote communication
To provide an interdisciplinary forum for persons, professions and organizations
To foster better public understanding and stimulate interest in aging
To provide opportunity for professional development and leadership
To advance best practice, research, and educational opportunities in the field of aging

National Council on the Aging, Inc (NCOA)

http://www.ncoa.org
The NCOA provides innovative support and assistance programs for senior centers, area agencies on aging, adult day facilities, and other local service organizations in the field of aging. Their advocacy efforts have resulted in significant legislative victories for older Americans on Capitol Hill. NCOA’s work force division has exceeded its goals for coordinating the hiring of low-income older Americans. They continue to foster innovations that improve the quality of services for older people.

National Health Information Center (NHIC)

http://www.health.gov/nhic
The National Health Information Center (NHIC) is a health information referral service. NHIC puts health professionals and consumers who have health questions in touch with those organizations that are best able to provide answers.

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

http://nia.gov/nia
The NIA’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of older Americans through research, and specifically to support and conduct high quality research on: aging process, age-related diseases, and special problems and needs of the aged.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

http://www.nih.gov
The NIH mission is to uncover new knowledge that will lead to better health for everyone. NIH works toward that mission by: conducting research in its own laboratories; supporting the research of non-Federal scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad; helping in the training of research investigators; and fostering communication of medical information.

National Library of Medicine

http://nlm.nih.gov
Every significant program of the library is represented, from medical history to biotechnology. We hope that the resources of the world’s largest biomedical library will find even wider useful applications around the nation and around the world.

Retirement Research Foundation

http://www.rrf.org
For more than 20 years, RRF has been at the forefront of efforts to meet the ever-changing needs of older Americans. They have invested more than $115 million to help build a network of innovative and skilled individuals and institutions committed to addressing aging and retirement issues.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

http://www.rwjf.org/main.html
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was established as a national philanthropy in 1972 and today it is the largest U.S. foundation devoted to improving the health and health care of all Americans.

Social Security Administration

http://www.ssa.gov
This website provides information on benefits, an online directory, services for businesses, research data, financing, planning and budgets, the Social Security laws, and reporting fraud. Local offices: SUITE 3013 WASHINGTON CENTER,NEWBURGH, NY 12550: Office Phone: (800) 772-1213 or (845) 565-7041 TTY: (845) 565-7411 Office Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM MON-FRI.

Center for Studies in Aging Dept. of Applied Gerontology School of Community

Services University of North Texas
unt.edu/aging
The Department of Applied Gerontology at the University of North Texas is a truly remarkable place to prepare for a career in the field of aging. Founded as the Center for Studies in Aging in 1968, the new unit quickly established its own faculty, students, and budget, making it one of the first academic departments of gerontology in the country.

The Gerontological Society of America

geron.org
The Gerontological Society of America is to promote the conduct of multi and interdisciplinary research in aging by expanding the quality of and improving the quality of gerontological research, and by increasing its funding resources; and to disseminate gerontological research knowledge to researchers, to practitioners, and to decision and opinion makers.

Elder Rights and Resources

New York State Association of Area Agencies on Aging

New York State Office of Aging

New York State Partnership for Long-Term Care

School Tax Relief (STAR)

Senior Citizen Hotlines

State Society on Aging

The Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) Program

Comprehensive Health Care Services

Comprehensive Health Care Services has been providing home care services to Westchester residents since 1983 Comprehensive Health Care is a licensed home health care agency servicing the needs of elderly and infirm individuals in Greater Westchester.

Helping Seniors

How you can tell if an older relative, friend, or client may be a target for telemarketing fraud.

LSS Neighborhood Network Computer Center

Neighborhood Network Computer Center helps build a community of computer using seniors allowing them more access to the expanding area of computer technology. Allowing them to use the technology in their daily lives would enable them to contribute their knowledge and wisdom to society.

Senior Lifestyle Bytes

At Senior Lifestyle Corporation, we help older adults tune into a three-dimensional FIT FOR LIFE program. Start living a healthier, more enjoyable life today at a Senior Lifestyle community near you.

Tax Resources

Tax Resource link provides connections and resources in the financial and tax arena.

Umbrella of the Capital District

A nonprofit agency helping senior citizens and persons with disabilities keep the two things they cherish most… their homes and their independence.