Caring for My Senior (12)

Choosing an Assisted Living Facility: What You Should Know
If you are thinking about putting your aging parent or loved one in an assisted living facility, this is a good place to help you weigh your options for the best senior care. Topics include information such as: what is an assisted living facility, what types of assisted living centers are available, how to choose an assisted living facility, how much it costs for your loved one to live at an assisted living facility, and assisted living references and resources. There is also a section on Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and a section about other challenges of aging. Personal stories from caretakers and senior citizens top off this site as a valuable resource.

Gerontology Research and More
Wayne State University’s Institute of Gerontology is very active in promoting successful, safe aging in Detroit, Michigan, and beyond. This site includes aging and health resources, such as information about the latest aging and health research, outreach programs, handbooks on caregiving and coping with loss as well as working with a senior citizen that needs nursing home or assisted living care. It also includes a section on making the most out of a nursing home visit with a resident that has dementia. Links to the National Institute on Aging and other organizations are included. Most valuable is the research section on aging and health disparities, aging and disabilities and lifespan cognitive neuroscience.

Selecting a Quality Assisted Living Center: Making Sure Your Loved One is In Good Hands
Taking care of an aging parent or other elderly friend can be difficult, and the task of choosing an assisted living center if need be for that person can be even harder. This site has some useful tips for choosing and assisted living center, and questions to ask when selecting a facility for your loved one. Sections include finding information about the facility/organization, individual family concerns and quality issues. This site is provided by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, where you can learn more about patient safety, report a complaint, or visit their collection health care links.

Caregiving Advice
Caregiving can be very difficult, especially for family members taking care of a loved one. This site includes a subscriptions service to get the best caregiving services, and includes a section on case examples that include issues caregivers face. A section on top elder risks and a caregiver FAQ are also of great value. The FAQ includes how to find the best home care, assisted living or nursing care for a senior, learning about Medicare coverage and public eldercare services.

Safe Driving for Seniors: Stats and More
This site states that the number of fatal crashes in which older drivers are involved is increasing, reported the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: In 1988-98, the number of people aged 65 and older grew 14 percent. Every state but the District of Columbia showed an increase. But 23 of the states showed increases in elderly involvement in fatal crashes higher than the 14 percent increase in population. It also features information on safety tips for older drivers and how to approach a senior citizen driver if they need help with driving or transportation.