National "information, education, advocacy, and
community services organization" for people fifty and older. One section of the
AARP website focuses on Health. It includes exercise and nutrition
advice to help the consumer remain healthy, as well as information on health
insurance options, Medicare, community help, and caregiving. Also available in
Spanish at AARP en espanol.
Administration on
Aging
A variety of resources on maintaining health as
well as sources of services available to older adults. Published by the federal
government's Administration on Aging. Includes hyperlinks to many agencies and
resources. Select "Elders and Families."
Connecticut
Aging Network
"A gateway to information on all aging issues and
services in the State of Connecticut." Includes addresses and phone numbers of
the five regional Connecticut Area Agencies on Aging.
Connecticut Department of
Social Services/ Services to the Elderly
An overview of the extensive services that the
Connecticut Department of Social Services provides to older Connecticut citizens
in need of help to remain independent.
Health and
Aging Organizations
From the federal Administration on Aging and the
National Institute on Aging. A searchable collection of hyperlinks to the
websites of more than 250 aging-related organizations. Descriptions of the
organizations and their services. Searchable by subject area or organization
name. Subject area categories include Osteoporosis, Retirement Planning,
Physical Fitness, Women's Health.
INFOLINE
An online directory of Connecticut resources and
social services for older adults on the INFOLINE website. INFOLINE, an agency of
the United Way of Connecticut, provides 24 hour phone service to Connecticut
residents who dial 211 with questions "about community services,
referrals to human services, and crisis intervention."
Back to
Contents
Gathering
Information on Health Topics
BOOK
Merck Manual of Health and Aging. Mark H.
Beers, ed. Merck Research Laboratories, 2004.(ISBN 0-911910-36-0 hardcover, ISBN
0-345-48274-3 paperback).
Written for the health consumer, this book provides
an overview of healthy aging and the disorders more likely to affect the
elderly. The book includes information on preventive health care, nutrition,
guidance in navigating the health care system, as well as discussions of
health-related ethical and social issues. It discusses how medication affects
the aging and incorporates a chart about specific medications and their side
effects in older adults. There is information about specific diagnostic tests
and cross-references to a number of illustrations and tables within the text.
The entire text of the book is available online at the Merck website
.
INTERNET WEBSITES
Health and
Wellness Resource Center
A searchable, comprehensive health database with
information about medical conditions and maintaining good health. One of a
selection of databases from the Connecticut Education Network available free
online to Connecticut residents. Provided by the Connecticut State Library in
conjunction with the Department of Higher Education. Accessible from school,
library, and home computers. An individual's library card bar code is the
password when accessing the databases from a home computer. Select the icon
related to your current location (e.g. "Access from home" "Access from the
public library") and then choose "Select ICONN Resources" to select Health
and Wellness Resource Center from the list of databases.
Health
Compass
An online self-study program to guide seniors in
gathering dependable health information, assessing its quality, and making
careful healthcare decisions. Includes a glossary defining technical terms.
Sponsored jointly by the American Federation for Aging Research and the Merck
Institute of Aging and Health.
Health Problems of Grown-Ups
Have you ever tried to explain heart disease or cataracts or why wrinkles
form as one ages...to a child? This webpage, on the Kidshealth website, written especially for children,
provides helpful explanations. It also includes clarifications of other conditions such as osteoporosis,
and Alzheimer's disease, and discusses why hair turns gray.
Infoaging
Funded by an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. and
published by the American Federation for Aging Research, this website has
Disease Centers with information on diabetes, osteoporosis, and prostate cancer,
and other diseases as well as a section on the Biology of Aging. There are
current health-related news articles. The website includes a Healthy Aging
Lifestyle Section that discusses nutrition and exercise. There is an Ask the
Expert section with lengthy responses from physicians to specific health
questions.
MedlinePlus
Published by the National Library of Medicine of
the National Institutes of Health, the MedlinePlus database contains information
on over 740 diseases and medical conditions, with links to relevant citations
and abstracts of medical journal articles. The Seniors' Health Topics page
provides direct hyperlinks to web pages with information on medical topics
relevant to older health consumers.
Merck Manual of Geriatrics
Written for clinicians caring for older patients,
this comprehensive, online book focuses on diseases and disorders common to older people
and how they manifest themselves in the elderly. Includes information on
diagnosis, clinical examination, prevention and treatment. Discusses social,
legal and ethical issues as well as medical disorders.
NIHSeniorHealth.gov
A "talking website," oriented toward seniors, with
information about health topics. Brief, easy-to-read format. Options on the
screen allow the user to select contrasting colors for text and background,
enlarged text, and sound. Select "Site Index" to access topics. A National
Institutes of Health publication.
Seniornet
A nonprofit organization that provides access to
computers and education about their use to adults fifty and over. Connecticut Computer
Learning Center locations are listed online. The "Health" section of the
organization's website has information on chronic health conditions and an
article on "How To Search the Web for Trustworthy Health Information."
Consult the Reference Librarian at your public
library for assistance in finding information about your diagnosis or
specific health topics. If your library cannot provide the information you
request, you or the librarian, if located in Connecticut, can contact Healthnet: Connecticut Consumer
Health Information Network at the University of Connecticut Health Center
Library for a customized information search, in the medical library, that focuses
on your specific questions.
Back to
Contents
Communicating with Your Doctor
INTERNET WEBSITES
Selected
resources on communicating with your doctor
A guide to recommended resources about
communicating with your doctor and other health professionals from Healthnet: Connecticut Consumer
Health Information Network.
Talking with your
Doctor: A Guide for Older People
A brief, informative, online booklet that discusses
selecting a physician, tips for good communication, communicating with a new
physician, how to talk about sensitive topics, etc.
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Contents
Medications
INTERNET WEBSITES
Consumer Drug
Information from the Food and Drug Administration
Website produced by the Center for Drug Evaluation
and Research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Pharmacists from the Drug
Information Branch of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research rewrite
information from the drug's package insert, which is written for health care
professionals, into laymen's terms. Package inserts are written by the
manufacturer and approved by the FDA. The texts of many complete package inserts
are included. Information sheets for healthcare professionals are also on this
website.
Medicines and You:
A Guide for Older Adults
A comprehensive online booklet from the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration with advice about safe ways to take medication. Includes
information about dangers of drug and food interactions, medication side
effects, ways that medication affects individuals in differing ways as they age.
There are specific questions to ask your doctor about new medications before
leaving the physician's office.
Drugs--Prescription/Over-the-Counter
A selective guide to recommended drug information
websites from Healthnet:
Connecticut Consumer Health Information Network.
MedlinePlus
Information written for patients and families on
more than 9,000 prescription and over-the-counter drugs, accessible from the
National Library of Medicine's comprehensive consumer health database.
Information comes from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' AHFS Consumer
Medication Information database. Information about herbs and supplements are also available
on this section of the Medlineplus website. Select "Drugs and
Supplements."
Back to
Contents
Legal
Resources
INTERNET WEBSITES
Connecticut
Elder Law Center
Topics include Connecticut-specific information
about HMO withdrawals, Medicaid and Medicare coverage for healthcare,
prescription drug assistance, respite care, patient rights, living wills, power
of attorney, and funeral planning. The Connecticut Consumer Law Project for
Elders (CLPE) Hotline may be contacted via its toll-free phone number in
Connecticut:1-800-296-1467.
General Statutes of
Connecticut.
Official website for the laws of the state of
Connecticut, revised to January 1, 2008. Searchable by keyword.
Senior Alerts
From the website of the Attorney General of the
State of Connecticut, reports on legal settlements and warnings of scams and
fraudulent businesses on topics of special interest to older Connecticut
residents.
Back to
Contents
News about Aging
Research
INTERNET WEBSITES
Health News
Websites
"Reliable online medical news sources" recommended
by Healthnet: Connecticut
Consumer Health Information Network. Includes medical news sources with
daily or weekly email delivery. Direct hyperlinks to news websites.
MedlinePlus
News Feature
Links to the past 30 days of news from the New York
Times Syndicate, AP News Service, Reutershealth, and other news services and
federal agencies, related to seniors' health.
Reutershealth
Daily medical research news articles for the
consumer (free) and for the professional (subscription fee). A few articles are
available at no charge from the professional section of the website each day.
More than twenty free articles are posted on the consumer section of the
website. Includes references to medical journals and the date in which original
article appeared.
Back to
Contents
Selecting
Health Care Professionals
BOOKS
Directory of Physicians in the United
States. American Medical Association. Annual. 4 vol.
Brief biographical information on U.S. physicians,
including whether or not the physician is board-certified. Includes medical
school attended, primary and secondary specialty, year of licensure, and type of
practice. Internet access is available at AMA Physician Select/On-Line
Doctor Finder.
Folio’s medical directory of Connecticut and
Rhode Island. Annual. Folio Associates. Folio Associates Inc., 111 Perkins
St., Boston, MA 02130.
Alphabetical listings of physicians by name, town,
and specialty. Includes medical education, address and phone number, and
languages spoken.
The official ABMS compendium of certified
medical specialists. Annual. American Board of Medical Specialties. PO Box
1280, Evanston, IL 60204-9913. 4 volumes.
A guide to physicians who have been awarded
certification by one of 24 national specialty boards. Name and geographic
indexes. Includes details on places and dates of internships and residencies as
well as medical school attended. This information may also be obtained on the
Internet at the American Board of Medical
Specialties' website. Select "Is Your Doctor Certified?" Free online registration
required for website searching.
INTERNET WEBSITES
Connecticut Bureau of
Regulatory Services
Connecticut Bureau of Regulatory Services quarterly
online report of disciplinary actions against health practitioners in
Connecticut. ("Regulatory Action Reports") Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader on
computer for online display. Earlier quarterly reports also on Bureau's website.
Connecticut
Licensing Info Center
State of Connecticut Department of Public Health
licensing requirements for health-related professions--acupuncturist, dentists,
physicians, etc. This website also allows users to verify the license status of
Connecticut health professionals by typing the name of a doctor, dentist, or
other health care provider in the License Verification area of the web page.
Connecticut Physician Profiles
In accordance with Connecticut Public Act 99-284,
the Department of Public Health publishes Connecticut physician profiles on the
Internet. The profiles include physicians' biographical and educational
background information, board certifications, medical malpractice history,
hospital disciplinary actions in all states.
Back to
Contents
Insurance
Information
WEBSITES
BenefitsCheckup.org
A National Council on the Aging website that
provides information about the resources of almost one thousand state and
national benefit programs, including information about the Medicare Presciption
Drug Coverage program. By completing an online form with information on one's
income, age, assets, and zip code, but NOT identifying information such as name,
address, or social security number, the Internet user is able to retrieve a list
of relevant programs.
Companies with
Approved Individual Major Medical Health Policies
Published by the Connecticut Insurance
Department.
Health
Reinsurance Association
Phone 1-800-842-0004. Non-profit association
consisting of all Connecticut private insurance companies and HMO’s. As the
state’s high risk health insurance pool, it provides insurance to individuals
who were formerly covered under a Connecticut group plan for a year or
more.
Connecticut Consumer's Guide to Medicare and Related Programs
In question and answer format, this consumer-friendly document
provides basic information about Medicare coverage, with a focus on Connecticut. Published
by the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc.
MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN
Information resources for assistance in selecting a
Medicare RX Prescription Drug Plan are provided by government agencies
and by organizations.
The Connecticut
Department of Social Services website includes links to brochures
(such as "Choosing the Plan that's Right for You!") and to agencies that offer
guidance (including the CHOICES program with trained counselors at
1-800-994-9422 and the federal Medicare office).
The website for the AARP, national organization for
retired persons, provides an online, non-technical booklet, entitled The AARP
Guide to Understanding Medicare Drug Coverage.
An even more basic, briefer explanation than the AARP publication, entitled
Understanding the New Medicare Prescription Drug Plan is available on the
consumer health website of the American Academy of Family
Physicians.
Back to
Contents
Long Term Care
Options
BOOKS
Caring for your Parents. The Complete AARP
Guide. Hugh Delehanty and Elinor Ginzler. Sterling Publishing Co., 2008. 238
p. (ISBN 1-4027-5857-7).
A practical, reassuring, and compassionate handbook
for adult children who are thrust into the role-reversing position of supporting
and guiding their elderly parents. Published under the auspices of the national
AARP organization and written jointly by the editor-in-chief of AARP
Publications and the director of Livable Communities at AARP, it reflects a
realistic understanding of the family dynamics and the economic challenges of
aging. The book is especially helpful for detailed information such as an
explanation of Medicare as well as how and when to apply, charts, including a
worksheet for family meetings, questions to ask of an assisted living facility
and a nursing home, and a financial inventory. There are many topical lists of
organization and website resources at the conclusion of chapters.
Consumer Reports Complete Guide to Health
Services for Seniors. Trudy Lieberman and the editors of Consumer Reports.
Three Rivers Press, 2000. 592 p. (ISBN 0-8129-3147-5 paperback).
In its tradition of conveying practical, evaluative
information to the consumer, Consumer Reports magazine has published this
helpful guide, subtitled "What Your Family Needs to Know about Finding and
Financing Medicare, Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, Home Care, Adult Day Care."
Numerous tables and worksheets are included in the text. Among the tables are "A
Comparison of Home Care Costs," and "A Sample Contract for Private Duty Nursing
Assistance." The appendixes include state and company pharmaceutical assistance
programs, ratings of Medicare-supplement insurance policies and Medicare HMO's,
state-funded programs for the elderly,and a state-by-state nursing home watch
list. The ratings systems were created by the authors.
How to Keep Your Loved One Safe in a Nursing
Home. Andrew D. Weinberg, M.D. Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company,
Inc., 2004. 106 p. (ISBN 1-930056-52-4 pbk).
Written by a phyician who specilizes in geriatrics,
this brief book provides compassionate, practical advice on securing competent
care for a family member living in a nursing home. Understanding the chain of
command, communicating effectively with nursing home staff, tips for enriching
visits to your relative, advice on detecting neglect, and suggestions about
communicating with nursing home's attending phyician are discussed. Includes a
summary of federally mandated rights for nursing home residents, a glossary of
related terms, and a "checklist of twenty-five items to observe when you visit a
nursing home."
Eldercare 911. Caregiver's Complete Handbook for
Making Decisions . Susan Beerman and Judith Rappaport-Mussson. Prometheus Books,
2008. 668 p. (ISBN 1-59102-616-4.)
This practical, realistic guide to caregiving is
directed to adults caring for elderly parents nearby or long distance. A
valuable starting point for caregivers, it was written by a social worker and a
certified senior advisor. It includes detailed advice on topics such as managing
medical issues (choosing a doctor, being an advocate in the doctor's office),
deciding when to intervene in a parent's care, identifying a parent's needs,
managing medical benefits and insurance, hiring a homecare employee, and finding
appropriate community services. The book is enriched by worksheets to help focus
and organize specifics such as emergency phone numbers and medications, and by
comments from caregivers about real life experiences with family members.
Includes a glossary, index, and resource guide.
Taking Care of Mom and Dad. The Mechanics of
Taking Care of Your Parents in Their Time of Need. Mike Rust. Silver Lake
Publishing, 2001. 340 p. (ISBN 1-56343-740-6).
A practical, straightforward explanation of the
technicalities related to the finances of long term care, health insurance,
government assistance programs, powers of attorney and related issues of the
elderly. Written by an experienced actuary whose work focuses on retirement
issues.
WEBSITES
Connecticut Website/Long-Term Care
An online resource provided by the State of Connecticut. In addition
to explanations of long-term care, determining needs for care, and sources of financial support, there is a directory
of long-term care providers, searchable by town within Connecticut.
Cost of
Long-Term Care in Connecticut
"Average private pay rates for nursing facilities,
home health agencies, and home and community based services." An annual report,
in chart form, specifying charges, organized by type of facility or service, and
then alphabetically by town. Published by the state's Office of Policy and
Management.
Connecticut Home
Care Program for Elders
Telephone: 860-424-5181/Toll Free: 800-445-5394. A
program of the Connecticut Department of Social Services. Offers home and
community based services as an alternative to institutional placement. Program
is available to Connecticut residents aged 65 and older who qualify financially
and functionally.
Long Term Care
Resources
A selective guide to books and websites on long
term care options from Healthnet:Connecticut Consumer
Health Information Network.
National
Association for Home Care
The organization's website includes information for
consumers, including an online brochure entitled, "How to Choose a Home Care
Provider." The brochure discusses types of home care service, payment
responsibility, solving problems that may arise, and patient rights.
Under the "Consumers" category of its website, the
Connecticut Association for Home
Care, an affiliate of the national organization, has online information
explaining home care and a searchable index to home care agencies in Connecticut
towns.
National
Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information
Steps to planning for long-term care provided by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services. Information on types of long-term care services and costs. Resources for
caregiving, advance care planning, and financial planning. An "Own Your Future Planning Kit" may be
downloaded from the website or requested online at no cost.
Back to
Contents
End of Life
Decisions
WEBSITES
End of Life Decision
Resources
A selective guide to resources on end of life
decisions from Healthnet:
Connecticut Consumer Health Information Network.
Back to
Contents
Searching for additional
information
Consult the Reference Librarian at your public
library for assistance in finding information about your diagnosis or
general health topics. If your library cannot provide the information you
request, you or the librarian, if located in Connecticut, can contact Healthnet: Connecticut Consumer
Health Information Network at the University of Connecticut Health Center
Library for a customized information search in the medical library that focuses
on your specific questions.
This resource guide was compiled by Judith Kronick,
Healthnet Reference Librarian.
If you would
like to recommend a resource for this list, please contact kronick@uchc.edu
.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
