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Aging and the Aged

Government Services / Housing & Care / Advocacy / General Sites

Government Services

• United States Department of Health & Human Services
  http://www.dhhs.gov

  Medicare and Medicaid information is broken down into consumer information, professional/technical information and international relations contact information. Finding local information is done by locating the state on a map. The state page also links to specific Medicaid information and contacts. The overview explains who qualifies and what the benefits are. There are links to extensive summaries of Medicare and Medicaid.

• Medicare
  http://www.medicare.gov

  This is the official government site. It provides general information about the Medicare plan and services, a step by step guide to learning about Medicare health plans, a telephone directory and Medicare patients' rights. There are links to publications, managed care and fraud and abuse. The Wellness link provides information on Medicare's coverage of several major health problems and links to other resources such as the Medicare Hotline, Healthfinder and Healthy People 2000.

• Social Security Administration
  http://www.ssa.gov

  This is the official website of the Social Security Administration and is updated daily. The Benefits section links to publications, information in Spanish, disability information, how to reach Social Security, how to apply for services and forms. The online direct services include a form to request a personal earnings and benefit estimate statement and finding a local office.

Housing & Care Facilities

• Nursing Home Information for Consumers (from Mass Division of Health Care Quality)
  http://www.state.ma.us/dph/qtool/sptweb2.htm

  A division of the Mass. Department of Public Health, the DHCQ offers a variety links to nursing home information for consumers. The state has created a Survey Performance Tool for Nursing Homes which compares Mass. Medicare and Medicaid certified facilites in five categories: Administration, Nursing, Resident Rights, Kitchen/Food Services, and Environment.

• AAHSA:  American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
  http://www.aahsa.org

  The AAHSA represents over 5,000 not-for-profit nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities, senior housing and assisted living facilities serving more than one million older persons. Choose the Consumer Info link for tips on selecting continuing care retirement communities, or choosing a nursing home. Articles on understanding senior housing choices, medicare, and care options for Alzheimers sufferers are also explored.

• ElderWeb
  http://www.elderweb.com/

  Offers an interactive database of care providers in more than 3,400 cities across the U.S. Facilities covered include nursing homes and assisted living facilites as well as listings of Hospices, care managers and home care providers.

Advocacy

• Administration on Aging
  http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov

  Key features of this website include a spotlight on current events and a quick index of links to topics of interest to the elderly and their families. Examples include: Health Care Anti-Fraud Initiatives, Welfare Reform Implementation, Statistics about Older People, International Activities and Eldercare Locator. A link to Disaster Recovery/Financial Assistance for Older Disaster Applicants is offered in English and in Spanish.

• Alliance for Retired Americans
  http://www.retiredamericans.org

  "A national organization that works to create an America that protects the health and economic security of seniors, rewards work, strengthens families and builds thriving communities. It was launched in January 2001 by a national coalition of AFL-CIO affiliated unions and community-based organizations dedicated to economic and social justice."

• SPRY Foundation
  http://www.spry.org/

  The SPRY Foundation (Setting Priorities for Retirement Years) web site offers access to the latest information on health, finances and the Aging Network News. In addition to a Managed Care Resource Guide and Health Resources for Seniors, this Website has an excellent series of sites for planning your retirement.

• National Council on Aging
  http://www.ncoa.org

  The National Council on Aging, Inc. is a private, non-profit association, headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is a strong advocacy organization with a broad public policy agenda. The NCOA web site provides detailed background research on current political issues, covering economic security, healthcare, community-based services, older workers and housing.

General Sites

• AARP: American Association of Retired Persons
  http://www.aarp.org

• Administration on Aging
  http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov

• HUD: Housing and Urban Development
  http://www.hud.gov

• Institute of Gerontology
  http://www.iog.wayne.edu/

• PBGC: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
  http://www.pbgc.gov

• Senior Housing
  http://www.springstreet.com/seniors/index.jhtml

  See this site for indexes to housing alternatives as well as simple, basic information on Medicaid and Medicare through its financial information. "Other Resources" links to the following government websites: Social Security Online, Medicare Consumer Information, Medicaid Long Term Care Services, National Institute on Aging and the Health Care Financing Administration (Medicare & Medicaid).

• United Seniors Association
  http://www.unitedseniors.org

  USA is a conservative seniors organization working to ensure retirement security for all Americans. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, public interest organization dedicated to educating and informing senior citizens about Social Security, Medicare and taxes.

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