Long Term Care Resources

Links - National

The links listed here are national in scope and may be of interest/use to everyone. If you are looking for a particular state agency or state-run program, please select the "Facility Search" link at top of page. Once at the Facilities Search page, find your state and click on it. State-specific links are located on each state page.

20 Common Nursing Home Problems-and How to Resolve Them
The National Senior Citizens Law Center is proud to issue a new publication that zeroes in on common problems in nursing home care and identifies common nursing facility practices that are actually illegal. 20 Common Nursing Home Problems—and How to Resolve Them walks the reader through each problem, shows what the law says, and describes how to take positive action. It decodes the law in easy-to-follow language, citing chapter and verse.

For each of the 20 problems, the guide offers a clear explanation of the relevant law, along with careful instructions as to how a resident, family member or advocate should proceed. Printed copies of the guide are available for $9.95, plus shipping/handling. For faster service, and a lesser cost of only $7.95 each, you can download an electronic copy in PDF.

ADEAR Center, The
Alzheimers Disease Education And Referral Center. A service of the National Institute on Aging.

Alzheimer Solutions
Alzheimer Solutions, a non-profit education and research organization is a rich information source for caregivers. Sections are devoted to caregiving, causes, diagnosis, prevention, stages, & treatments. Users can search for Memory Clinics or Adult Day Care by city and state.

American Board of Medical Specialities
Whether you're looking for a physician in a particular speciality or want to review the credentials of your current doctor, check out the American Board of Medical Specialities physician locator and information service. A drop-down menu lets you select someone in your area specializing in everything from allergy to urology.

Assisted Living Directory
Looking for Assisted Living facilities? The "Assisted Living Directory" was created to make online advertising accessible for assisted living facilities of any size. This site has grown from a facilities listing service to adding educational pages and videos about Alzheimer‘s, Parkinson‘s and relevant Senior News.

Caring Connections
Caring Connections is a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization ( NHPCO ) and a national consumer-oriented initiative to improve care at the end of life. The program is supported by a grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Caring Connections provides a variety of free resources on topics including: Advance Care Planning, Caregiving, Pain, Financial issues, Hospice and Palliative Care, Grief and Loss.

Caregivers - National Family Caregivers Association
The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) supports, empowers, educates, and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for a chronically ill, aged, or disabled loved one. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of different diagnoses, different relationships and different life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers. We are committed to improving the overall quality of life of caregiving families and minimizing the disparities between family caregivers and non-caregivers.

CarePathways
CarePathways was created by RNs to help families find the best care and living arrangements for their aging parents. On-line access to Inspection Reports of all USA Medicare/Medicaid Nursing Homes and Evaluations of Assisted Living and Retirement homes.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ( CMS )
The federal agency that administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs — formerly known as HCFA ( Health Care Finance Administration ).

CMS - Nursing Home Survey Results ( Inspections )
NOTE: Be patient, the site sometimes takes it's time load. After it does download, select your state ( about half way down the page ) then follow the instructions. Invaluable site and worth the time.

All nursing homes that are certified to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs are visited by a team of state surveyors ( inspectors ) annually to be recertified for participation in the programs. These same surveyors usually conduct a licensure renewal inspection at the same time to ensure the facility is operating within state regulations as well.

Keep in mind that these reports will include only the negative findings; they will not point out the facility's positive aspects. Do not rule out a facility just because it had some deficiencies in its most recent survey. Ask the facility what steps it has taken to correct any deficiencies, and review reports from prior years.

During your facility visit, ask to see the facility's latest inspection report form "HCFA-2567". You will want to review any "complaint surveys" that have occurred since the facility's last annual inspection as well. The report will have two columns: On the left side are the government surveyor's allegations ( findings ); the right column will have the facility's Plan of Correction ( "POC" ) — what has been done to correct the alleged violation and a completion date should be listed.

Code of Federal Regulations
Title 42--Public Health
Part 483--Requirements For States And Long Term Care Facilities

Consumer.Gov - Health Section
Consumer.gov -- is a "one-stop" link to a broad range of federal information resources available online. It is designed so that you can locate information by category -- such as Food, Health, Product Safety, Your Money, and Transportation. Each category has sub categories to direct you to areas within individual federal web sites containing related information.

Drugs - Consumer Reports Best Buy
Utilizing research from the OHSU Evidence-based Research Center, Consumer Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, has created a website to help consumers analyze which prescription drugs are most cost effective.

In a format similar to the recommendations from their magazine, Consumer Union has named “best buy” drugs in each class. In order for a drug to be labeled a Best Buy Drug it must be in the top tier of effectiveness in its category, have a safety record equal or better than other drugs in the category, and have an average retail price that is at least 25% lower than the most costly drug in the category.

Currently consumers can find information about cholesterol, heartburn and arthritis medications. Consumer Union found cholesterol lowering drugs (statins) varied in prices from 92 cents to more than $4.50 a day. They found consumers could save up to $1,300 a year.

Elder Rage
Are You At Your Wit's End With Elder Care?! And coping with an elderly loved one who: Makes unreasonable demands, wanting all of your time? Is experiencing memory loss or dementia/Alzheimers? Is obsessed with ill health but refuses to see the doctor? Has become depressed, manipulative, distrustful or hostile? Refuses any mention of caregiving or elder care help?

Then you'll love this riveting true story, written with compassion and humor—and realize that you're not alone with your countless frustrations and conflicting emotions. This incredible roller coaster ride is a can't-put-it-down page-turner, as well as a how-to guide for struggling caregivers.

Elder Abuse Report
This first-ever National Elder Abuse Incidence Study brings a severely under-reported problem out of the shadows. This study estimates that at least one-half million older persons in domestic settings were abused and/or neglected, or experienced self neglect during 1996, and that for every reported incident of elder abuse, neglect or self neglect, approximately five go unreported.

Eye Care America
EyeCare America's mission is to prevent avoidable blindness and severe visual impairment by raising awareness, educating and facilitating eye care for the public. EyeCare America, established in 1980, is a public service foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. EyeCare America's public service programs reduce avoidable blindness and severe visual impairment by raising awareness about eye disease and care, providing free eye health educational materials and facilitating access to medical eye care.

The Seniors EyeCare Program (SEP) helps to ensure that all eligible seniors have access to medical eye care and promotes annual, dilated eye exams. SEP raises awareness about age-related eye disease, including cataracts, provides free eye care educational materials and facilitates access to eye care.

People eligible for a referral through the program receive a comprehensive, medical eye exam and up to one year of treatment-at no out-of-pocket expense-for any condition diagnosed during the initial exam. Volunteer ophthalmologists accept Medicare and/or other insurance reimbursement as payment in full.

The Seniors EyeCare Program is designed for people who:

Are US citizens or legal residents
Are age 65 and older
Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years
Do not have eye care insurance through an HMO or the VA Resources

Senior EyeCare Program referral call 800.222.3937 toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year Seniors EyeCare Program Information Sheet

Families USA
A national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Working at the national, state, and community levels, they have earned a national reputation as an effective voice for health care consumers for over 20 years.

FirstGov for Seniors
Formerly - Access America For Seniors
The website for seniors to conduct business with and get information from the government ... all in one place. This is a new and interesting site with links to virtually every government agency even remotely involved in senior issues. I highly recommended it but plan on investing some time to explore the site.

Hospice • National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization
An excellent Hospice information resource and locator.

Institute of Medicine - National Academy of Sciences
Improving the Quality of Long Term Care
You can read the full report or order a copy on line at this link.

This is the first report on long term care the IOM has issued since its 1986 landmark study that spurred the creation of the current federal nursing facility survey and certification system in 1987. In the new report, "Improving the Quality of Long Term Care," the IOM concludes that the quality of care provided by nursing facilities has generally improved over the past decade, even though nursing homes are serving a more seriously ill population, and offers 14 recommendations to improve nursing home, assisted living and home health access, quality, staffing and reimbursement.

Medicaid Resource Book, The
The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
This reference book describes four pivotal aspects of how the Medicaid program operates -- who it covers, what it covers, how it is financed, and how it is administered. It was written to assist the public and policy makers in understanding the structure and operation of the Medicaid program.

Outstanding reference material — not for the faint of heart. Everything you want to know about the Medicaid program. Should be in every administrator's library.

Medicare & You
The United States Government "Official" Medicare site. Be sure to print out a copy of the governments "Medicare & You 2007". This publication explains your Medicare Benefits, Medicare Plan Choices, and Where you can call for help. Outstanding publication. The document is in PDF format — you can download the free reader from Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Medicare - Prescription Drug Coverage
This booklet provides information about the new Medicare-approved drug discount cards including who can get a card, how they work, and how to choose the best card for you.
(36 pages)

Medicare — Approved Prescription Drug Discount Card Program
On December 8, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. This act will immediately provide Medicare beneficiaries with discounts on their prescription drugs as well as provide comprehensive Medicare prescription drug coverage effective January 1, 2006.

Starting in the Spring of 2004, as an important first step towards comprehensive Medicare prescription drug coverage, Medicare beneficiaries will be able to enroll in a Medicare-approved discount card program (The Discount Card) that will offer discounts on their prescription drugs. If your Medicare patients raise questions about the Discount Card, you should suggest they visit www.medicare.gov and select "Prescription Drug and Other Assistance Programs" or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-800-486-2048.

The Discount Card is intended as a temporary program to provide immediate assistance in lowering prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries during 2004 and 2005 and will end when Medicare implements a new, comprehensive prescription drug benefit that will begin January 1, 2006.
The Discount Card is designed to provide Medicare beneficiaries access to discounts on their prescription drugs through enrollment in card programs offered by sponsors approved by Medicare.
All Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for The Discount Card, except for those who have Medicaid drug coverage.

NOTE: Information for potential Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card sponsors can be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/discountdrugs/.

Medicare Drug Benefit Calculator - Kaiser Family Foundation
http://www.kff.org/medicare/rxdrugscalculator.cfm

This calculator allows users to enter their prescription drug costs to determine what they would pay under the Medicare reform. Standard coverage under the current proposal includes an up front deductible of $250, 25% cost sharing between $250 and $2,250 in drug expenses, no coverage after $2,250 until the beneficiary pays the next $2,850 in expenses ( reaching $3,600 in out of pocket costs at $5,100 in total drug expenses ), beyond which 5% cost sharing applies.

Medicare — At A Glance
Kaiser Family Foundation
This fact sheet, updated in February 2003, provides a basic overview of the Medicare program, including how it is financed, who is eligible, and what benefits are covered under the program. In addition, it describes sources of supplemental health insurance to fill in MedicareEs gaps, recent trends in the Medicare+Choice program, and data on current and future Medicare spending.

Medicare — Request For Replacement Card
Lost or Damaged Medicare Beneficiary Card? The Health Care Financing Administration will process your request and mail out your new card. "Rest assured that we use the highest commercially available encryption to ensure that a beneficiary's confidential information is secure as it travels through cyberspace."

National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform, The
The ( NCCNHR ) was formed because of public concern about substandard care in nursing homes. NCCNHR is the outgrowth of work first achieved by advocates working for Ralph Nader and later for the National Gray Panthers.

Nursing Home Alert
The Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Resource Center at NursingHomealert.com is an informational website designed to help the elderly and their families: prevent, recognize, and stop nursing home abuse and neglect. An excellent resource.

Ombudsman Resource
The National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center
An Ombudsman is an advocate for residents of nursing homes, board and care homes, and assisted living. Ombudsmen provide information about how to find a facility and what to do to get quality care. They are trained to resolve problems. If you want, the ombudsman can assist you with complaints. However, unless you give the ombudsman permission to share your concerns, these matters are kept confidential.

Under the federal Older Americans Act, every state is required to have an Ombudsman Program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long term care system. To find the ombudsman nearest you, contact your State Ombudsman office.

The Resource Center provides support, technical assistance and training to the 53 State Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs and their statewide networks of almost 600 regional (local) programs.

Partnership for Prescription Assistance, The
Through this site, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance offers a single point of access to more than 275 public and private patient assistance programs, including more than 150 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. To access the Partnership for Prescription Assistance by phone, you can call toll-free, 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669).

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
PhRMA, a trade group for the pharmaceutical industry, developed a consortium of 48 companies who provide drugs to physicians for patients who otherwise could not afford them.

In general, most programs require the patients to apply through their doctors. To qualify, applicants must show they have no coverage for outpatient prescription drugs; that their income must be low enough that paying for medicine would pose a hardship; and that they do not qualify for Medicaid. In reality the doctor writes a two-sentence letter to the pharmaceutical company without any other documentation. Most companies supply three months at a time on a case-by-case basis.

The key is get your physician involved. He may not know about the individual programs - help him to help you.

Public Agenda - Online
For a balanced view of the Medicare issues.

Quack Watch
This member of the Consumer Federation of America aims to battle "health-related" fraud, myths, fads, and fallacies. Everything from alternative cancer treatments to dubious advertising to quackery for pets.

Rubins, The
The Rubins bill their site as "a website for senior citizens and those who care about them". A very interesting site by prolific writers Harold & Sam Rubin. Their articles provide information on topics pertinent to the elderly, including nursing homes, the aging process, Alzheimers Disease, assisted living, general information, health and preventive care, hearing, helpful ideas, illnesses, legislation, Medicare and Medicaid, rehabilitation, and social security.

Social Security Administration Online

Social Security Retirement Benefits - Apply On Line!
If you are 61 years and 9 months or older and plan to start getting your benefits within four months, you may be able to apply online.

For Social Security to process your Internet Application you must:

enter the information requested;
submit the application online;
print, sign and mail the paper application to the address provided;
and include with your signed application the documents indicated on the final page of this Internet application.

Social Security E-News
Get the latest Social Security news at the click of the mouse. Beginning March 1, 2000, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send Social Security news as it happens to individuals and organizations across America who request it. SSA's new service, Social Security e-news, is an electronic newsletter available free to subscribers through the Agency's Internet site Social Security Online. Subscribers can sign-up for Social Security E-news, by providing only their e-mail address.

Today's Caregiver Online
Being a caregiver does not mean having to shoulder the stresses and difficulties all alone.

U.S. Living Will Registry
The U.S. Living Will Registry is a nationwide service which stores your advance directive electronically and makes it available 24 hours a day to hospitals across the country. Registration is FREE!

The mission of the U.S. Living Will Registry is to promote the use of advance directives through educational programs and to make people's health care choices available to their caregivers and families whenever and wherever they are needed, while maintaining the confidentiality of their information and documents.

Veterans' Health - Institute of Medicine
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has created a new Internet Web site with information about a variety of military-related health issues. The Web site has separate sections for health care issues affecting the last four major military conflicts - World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. At each section, visitors can read electronic versions of IOM-produced reports or purchase publications.

Veterans' Health Care Programs
The Community Nursing Home ( CNH ) program places patients requiring nursing home care in community Nursing Facilities ( NF ) when services are not available at a local VA. All VA facilities have CNH capability.

VA contracts with NFs which meet Medicare/Medicaid standards and the most recent edition of the Life Safety Code. The contract allows VA to place a patient in a NF when the NF agrees to accept the patient at a previously established price.

Fee Program (Non-VA Care)
Veterans requesting medical care through the VA Health care System should first seek to obtain care in VA facilities. You may contact the Registration and Enrollment Office at the nearest VA Medical Center for information about your VA health care benefits.

Sometimes VA cannot provide necessary medical care and services. VA may authorize medical care in the community for those veterans that meet the eligibility requirements. The VA authorization will specify:

Medical services that VA approves
Length of period for treatment
Amount that VA will pay

All VA authorized services must be approved before the veteran receives treatment. However, it may not be possible to contact VA prior to treatment in life-threatening emergency situations. Each individual veteran's eligibility status and medical care needs are reviewed to decide whether community treatment can be approved. Medical care and services that VA may authorized through community providers may include:

Outpatient Medical Treatment (Office visits)
Medical Diagnostic Services (Laboratory and Imaging)
Inpatient Hospital Care
Outpatient Emergency Room Care
Emergency Ambulance Transportation
Home Health Care
Hospice Care
Community Nursing Home Care
Pharmacy Services
Home Oxygen Services
Bowel and Bladder Care for Spinal Cord Injury
Dialysis Services
Chiropractic Care
Maternity Care

Services may be limited to veterans who are determined to be legally eligible. Veterans with questions about community care benefit should contact the local VA Medical Center Fee Basis Department, VA Primary Care Provider or VA Medical Center Patient Representative.

To find a local nursing home that has a contract with the Veterans Administration, contact your area VA Medical Center. You can locate the closest area VA Medical Center using this directory

Toll Free Numbers for Contacting VA

VA Benefits: 1-800-827-1000
Burial
Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA)
Death Pension
Dependency Indemnity Compensation
Direct Deposit
Directions to VA Benefits Regional Offices
Disability Compensation
Disability Pension
Education
Home Loan Guaranty
Life Insurance
Medical Care
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment

Health Care Benefits: 1-877-222-8387

Have the Veteran's service number available or as much information about the Veteran (Date entered active service and date discharged, social security number, etc). They can search to find these numbers, but it speeds things along considerably if you have the information in front of you.

One Final & Unfortunate Note: Uncle Sam Lied
Vets Not Eligible For Lifetime Care
Associated Press, November 20, 2002

A federal appeals court reluctantly agreed with the government that military recruiters had no legal authority to promise World War II and Korean War veterans that they would get free lifetime health care if they stayed in the service 20 years.

Although the government conceded military recruiters made the promises, the Defense Department convinced the court there was no valid contract because the assurances were not backed up by law. In a 9-4 decision to deny the veterans' claims was made by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Vida Senior Resource
Providing senior home care advice such as how to pay for care, the cost of care, how to choose a provider, and the different options that are available. Our mission is to provide senior home care resources and senior in-home care services that will enrich lives and help maintain the most enjoyable level of at-home living during the twilight of life.

Visiting Nurse Associations of America
Professional health care provided in your home. If the care is medically necessary and the patient meets certain coverage requirements, Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans will usually pay for home health care services. With support from philanthropic sources, VNAs provide care to all, regardless of ability to pay.

A Must Read - The Old People:

The Old People
http://www.theoldpeople.com

The Old People is a touching, heartfelt story that gives us a look into the lives of retirees and elderly people who must give up everything they have. By reading this book you will begin to relate, finishing with a clearer understanding of how they feel and why. No matter who you are, or what your profession, The Old People will touch your life in a special way.

Part I begins by giving us a look at life from their perspectives. Each chapter tells each character's personal situation and story. For example, Chapter Five, Talk To Alice, is about a 102-year-old woman who desperately longs to be touched and talked to; but because she is confined to her bed and can do nothing to communicate herself, no one seems to notice or realize that she has needs, too. She longs for the tube in her stomach to be removed so that she may be free from her body, which is her personal prison.

Her family is in charge of all of the decision-making since Alice is unable … and there's nothing that she can do about it. Her only joy comes when the aides turn her toward the window so that she can gaze outside, dreaming of being free while reflecting upon her past.

"So I write this book on their behalf. I am the thought within their mind that they cannot convey. I am the song they want to sing, but have no voice. I am the step they want to take, but are too afraid to chance. I am the hands that lift them up, when they fall upon their face. I am their loyal friend, when they have no one else at all." ...Christina L. Ferris.

Christina Ferris works as a health care professional in the suburb of a fairly large city in Ohio. She first became interested in writing as early as second grade, when she wrote her first short story as a class assignment. She has continued writing since, finally publishing her first book, titled "The Old People"

She is a hardworking, single mother who juggles a full-time job, taking care of her two children and writing - all at the same time. Contact Christina Ferris at: christina@theoldpeople.com

In youth, age is a mystery. In mid-life, age is a fear. Near the end, age is all about life's experiences. Most of us, however, do not spend a lot of time thinking about what happens when people become old.

Share in the memories of a long-passed spouse, the husband that never was, the children, and the family times.

Buy This Book - I'm still crying.
ISBN: 1-4137-0693-2
Published By
PublishAmerica Book Publishers, Baltimore
http://www.publishamerica.com

Just visit the publisher's link, type in the ISBN number for pricing, etc.

References from this web page does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Long Term Care Resources, or any of its employees. We are not responsible for the contents of any "off-site" web pages referenced from this server. Although our page includes links to sites including or referencing good collections of information, we do not endorse any specific products or services provided by public or private organizations.

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