Web Links About Elder Abuse, Nursing Homes, Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s

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Web Links for Seniors and Their Families

These web sites concern elder abuse, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and the needs of senior citizens and their families. We hope this list will help you find information that will benefit you and your elderly loved one.

Advocacy for Seniors, Avoiding Elder Abuse
Assisted Living, Residential Care
Fraud
Nursing Homes for the Elderly
Pain Management
Senior Web Sites
Special Needs of the Elderly
Support for Families of the Elderly

Advocacy for Seniors; Avoiding Elder Abuse

• American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
• California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
  Data on California facilities, legislative advocacy, information on filing complaints.
  
• Compassion in Dying
  Seeks to improve pain management and expand end–of–life options.
  
• Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living
  Consumer group for assisted living residents.
  
• National Center on Elder Abuse
  Administration of Aging provides statistics and background about elder abuse.
  
• National Center for Victims of Crime
  A nonprofit national group providing resources for victims of crime, including elder abuse.
  
• National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform
  Coalition of ombudsmen and citizens’ groups.
  
• National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
  Part of federally–funded National Center on Elder Abuse; promotes education about the causes and prevention of elder abuse.
  
• National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center
• Ombudsman Committee Homepage
  American Bar Association recommendations concerning ombudsmen.
  
• Washington Long–Term Care Consumer Advocacy Outreach
  Washington state ombudsman program.
  

Fraud

• Elder Angels, Inc.
  Describes financial elder abuse, scams, and fraud.
  
• Elder Fraud Project
  National Consumers League project on telemarketing fraud and elders.
  

Assisted Living, Residential Care

• California State: Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly California Community Care Licensing Division’s discussion of residential care facilities.
  
• National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL)
  Includes some useful information about facility options, although this is the web site of the industry group for assisted living providers.
  

Nursing Homes for the Elderly

• California Nursing Home Guide
  California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's guide to nursing homes in California. Includes citations, complaints, and financial information.
  
• California Nursing Home Search
  Provides quality ratings for each nursing home in the state.
  
• Choosing a Good Nursing Home (AARP)
  Questions to ask when choosing a nursing home.
• National Decubitus Foundation
  Information about bedsores in nursing home residents and hospital patients; provides education about avoiding bedsores.
• Eden Alternative
  Encourages making companion animals and nature part of the nursing home environment.
  
• Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home
  Medicare web site discusses choosing a nursing home, legal rights, alternatives to nursing homes.
  
• National Aging Information Center
  Administration on Aging; articles about nursing home options, legal rights. Includes links to statistical reports.
  
• Nursing Home Checklist
  Medicare’s checklist of what to look for when choosing a nursing home.
  
• Nursing Home Compare
  Medicare’s reports on all nursing homes that are certified for Medicaid and Medicare. Includes information about residents and staff based on annual inspections. Some data may be outdated or inaccurate, according to the Government Accountability Office, so your may want to use the web site mainly as a starting point for further research.
  
• Profile of Nursing Home Residents
  Center for Disease Control and Prevention; report on the changing population of nursing homes.
  

Pain Management (Medical Articles)

• Assessing Pain in the Confused Elderly Patient, American Family Physician, July 15, 2001
• Challenges in Pain Management at the End of Life, American Family Physician, Oct. 1, 2001
• Effective Pain Management in Older Patients, AORN, Jan. 2000
• The Management of Chronic Pain in Older Persons, Clinical Practice Guidelines, JAGS Vol. 46 (5), May 1998

Senior Web Sites

• Administration on Aging
  US Department of Health; statistics about aging, news updates, information for caregivers.
  
• American Geriatrics Society
  Medical information concerning the elderly for professionals and consumers.
  
• Benefits Checkup
  National Council on Aging’s guide to identifying state and federal benefits for seniors.
  
• Elder Care Locator
  Administration on Aging; helps you locate senior resources in your community.
  
• Aging and Adult Services Administration
  Washington state site.
  

Special Needs of the Elderly

• Asthma
  Medscape Health, article discusses increase of asthma in the elderly
  
• Alzheimer’s Association
• Alzheimer’s Resource Room
  Administration on Aging
  
• Cancer
  Oncolink
  

Support for Families of the Elderly
(also see support groups for caregivers)

• Aging Parents and Adult Children Together
• Geriatric Care Managers
  National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers
• National Family Caregivers Association
• Oregon Cares
  Oregon Department of Health Services, resources for caregivers.