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Planning for the Future: Resources

Aging Well, Living Well Home > Planning for the Future > Resources

• Advanced Directives
• Assisted Living/Elder Care
• Financial Planning
• Disaster Preparedness

Advanced Directives

Publications

1.   Literature Review on Advance Directives - This report examines the empirical evidence about the degree to which advance directives and advance care planning have met their intended goals. The authors explore what the medical literature reports concerning the use of advance directives and advance care planning, disparities among groups in their use, and interventions to enhance the use and value of advance directives and advance care planning.

   http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/2007/advdirlr.htm

2.   10 Legal Myths About Advance Medical Directives (Copyright © ABA) - This publication lists 10 common myths about advance directives and explains the facts behind each myth.

   http://www.abanet.org/aging/publications/docs/10legalmythsarticle.pdf

3. Advance Care Planning (Copyright © NHPCO) - On this site, you can learn what advance care planning is, what happens if you complete an advance directive, where to get them and other important information.

   http://www.caringinfo.org/PlanningAhead/AdvanceCarePlanning.htm

4. Advance Directives and Do Not Resuscitate Orders (Copyright © AAFP) - This fact sheet provides information on advance directives, living wills, durable power of attorney for heath care, and do not resuscitate orders. It also explains how to write and change an advance directive.

   http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/pat-advocacy/endoflife/003.html

5. End-of-Life Decision-Making (Copyright © FCA) - This publication discusses how to start planning for end-of-life care. It provides information on financial and medical decisions, options for care, and advance directives.

   http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=401

6.   Put it in Writing: Questions and Answers on Advance Directives (Copyright © AHA) - This resource provides basic facts about advance directives and encourages patients to explore their preferences for care at the end of life.

   http://www.putitinwriting.org/putitinwriting/content/piiwbrochure.pdf

Organizations

1.   Administration on Aging, HHS
2. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
3. American Bar Association
4. Caring Connections
5. U.S. Living Will Registry

= Indicates Federal Resources

Assisted Living/Elder Care

Publications

1.   Age Page: Nursing Homes: Making the Right Choice - This brochure helps in the planning and preparing of long term care for the later years.

   http://www.niapublications.org/agepages/longterm.asp

2.   Assisted Living - This fact sheet explains what assisted living is, what services are provided, how to choose a facility, and what the cost is.

   http://www.eldercare.gov/eldercare/Public/resources/fact_sheets/assisted_living.asp...

3.     Compare Care - How to Find a Nursing Home That's Right for You - This brochure has information on how to find a nursing home, what nursing home care is, who pays for it. It also discusses the quality of a nursing home and gives a checklist of questions to ask when calling a nursing home.

   http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11075.pdf

4.     Compare Care - How to Find Home Health Care That's Right for You - This brochure has information about what home health care is, what Medicare covers, Medicare's information about quality, and things that you should ask home health agencies.

   http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11070.pdf

5.   Home Health Care - This publication explains what home health care is, what to look for in quality care, and how to pay for home health care.

   http://www.eldercare.gov/eldercare/Public/resources/fact_sheets/home_care.asp

6.   Housing - This fact sheet discusses how the type of housing and the community in which people live are critical factors in assuring independence as they age. Housing is, thus, an important part of the system of home and community-based services supported under the Older Americans Act (OAA).

   http://www.aoa.gov/eldfam/Housing/Housing.aspx

7.     Medicare and You 2008 - Medicare & You contains important information about what's new, health plans, prescription drug plans, and rights and protections to help people with Medicare review their coverage options and prepare to enroll in a new plan if they choose.

   http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10050.pdf

8.   Nursing Home Compare - This web site provides the user with understandable information about the performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home, including the results of their last inspection.

   http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Home.asp

9.   There's No Place Like Home - For Growing Old - This fact sheet provides information on what you can do to receive care in your home. It describes the different kinds of help that are available and where to start searching for help.

   http://www.niapublications.org/tipsheets/home.asp

10. End-of-Life Decision-Making (Copyright © FCA) - This publication discusses how to start planning for end-of-life care. It provides information on financial and medical decisions, options for care, and advance directives.

    http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=401

11. Living with an Illness (Copyright © NHPCO) - This publication gives an overview of hospice, including how it is paid for, how it works, and how to choose hospice. It also provides information on choosing a palliative care program.

    http://www.caringinfo.org/LivingWithAnIllness.htm

Organizations

1.   Administration on Aging, HHS
2.   National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, AOA, HHS
3.   National Institute on Aging, NIH, HHS
4. AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
5. American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
6. Caring Connections
7. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

= Indicates Federal Resources

Financial Planning

Publications

1.   Age Page: Getting Your Affairs in Order - This brochure discusses the steps you can take to prepare for the future. In addition, it includes information about important legal documents such as wills and trusts, advanced directives, power of attorney, and living wills.

   http://www.niapublications.org/agepages/affairs.asp

2.   Dollars and Sense-Paying for Aging Services (Copyright © AAHSA) - This publication gives an overview of long-term care insurance, Medicaid, and the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly or PACE and explains how each one can provide financial assistance for aging services.

   http://www.aahsa.org/article.aspx?id=654

3.     Medicare Hospice Benefits - This is the official government publication for Medicare hospice benefits with important information about: The hospice program and who is eligible, your Medicare hospice benefits, how to find a hospice program, and where you can get more help.

   http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/02154.pdf

4.   Steps to Choosing Long-Term Care - This web page is a guide to help Medicare beneficiaries choose a long-term care facility for quality care.

   http://www.medicare.gov/LongTermCare/Static/StepsOverview.asp

5. BenefitsCheckUp (Copyright © National Council on Aging) - BenefitsCheckUpRx is a useful web site for caregivers, seniors and people with disabilities. This resources helps individuals reduce their prescription costs and save money on their medications by calculating entered information by the web site user.

   http://www.benefitscheckup.org/link/caregiving

6. Estate Planning, Wills, Probate and Trusts (Copyright © ABA) - This publication gives an overview of estate planning, including information on wills, revocable trusts, power of attorney, advanced directives, and the probate process.

   http://www.abanet.org/rppt/public/home.html

7. Financial Information (Copyright © NHPCO) - This site provides information on financial planning for end-of-life care. It discusses topics such as health care costs, living costs, funeral planning and other expenses.

   http://www.caringinfo.org/index.cfm?page=257

Organizations

1.   Administration on Aging, HHS
2.   Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS
3.   National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, AOA, HHS
4.   Social Security Administration Office of Public Inquiries
5. AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
6. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
7. Caring Connections
8. National Senior Citizens Law Center

= Indicates Federal Resources

Disaster Preparedness

Publications

1.   Individuals with Special Needs - This publication provides information on how you can help someone with a disability or an older adult in an emergency situation.

   http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/specialplans.shtm

2.   PandemicFlu.gov - This site is intended to provide information on pandemic and avian influenza for the general public, health and emergency preparedness professionals, policy makers, government and business leaders, school systems, and local communities.

   http://www.pandemicflu.gov/

3.   Ready.gov - This site was designed by the Department of Homeland Security to provide information on citizen preparedness. It provides information on how to react to even unlikely scenarios. You should be prepared to adapt this information to your personal circumstances and make every effort to follow instructions received from authorities on the scene. Check this site for the most current information and recommendations.

   http://www.ready.gov/

4. Disaster Preparedness for Seniors by Seniors (Copyright © American Red Cross) - This fact sheet provides information on taking responsibility for your safety, disaster notification, and preparing a disaster plan. In addition, it links to more detailed information on preparing for specific emergency situations such as hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, fires, floods, and earthquakes.

   http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_9_,00.html

5. Emergency Preparedness Tips for Older Adults (Copyright © FHA) - If you are an older adult, this publication details the three important steps that can help you prepare for emergency situations: Create an emergency plan, stock an emergency medical kit, and assemble a disaster supplies kit.

   http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/emergency_tips.php

Organizations

1.   Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch, NCEH, CDC, OPHS, HHS
2.   Federal Emergency Management Agency
3. AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
4. American Red Cross

= Indicates Federal Resources