Caring for Your Aging Parents:
Resources Handout-Part 2 Assessing Needs and Resources
GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED:
Caring for Your Parents (PBS Guide to read online or download)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/caringforyourparents/caregiver/gettingstarted/index.html
Additional PBS Checklists, National Associations
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/caringforyourparents/community/index.html
Ten Tips for Talking to Your Aging Parents: A Guide for Discussing Options for Retirement Living
http://www.actsretirement.org/retirement-resources/ten-tips-for-talking-to-your-agingparents
AARP Caregiving Expert Explains How to Approach Difficult Family Conversations
http://blog.aarp.org/2012/12/12/amy-goyer-tough-topics-to-discuss-with-older-lovedones/?intcmp=AE-BLIL-BL
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS:
National Elder Law Foundation (NELF): Find a Specialized Attorney Near You
www.nelf.org
Getting Your Affairs in Order (A “What and Where” Guide to Important Legal Documents)
http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/getting-your-affairs-order
Legal, Financial and Healthcare Planning Documents: Wills, Living Wills, Durable Power of
Attorney for Healthcare and Finances, Living Trusts and More
http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/legal-and-financial-planning-peoplealzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
What Is the Difference Between a Power of Attorney and a Durable Power of Attorney?
http://www.360financialliteracy.org/Topics/In-Crisis/Planning-for-incapacity/What-is-thedifference-between-a-power-of-attorney-and-a-durable-power-of-attorney
American Bar Association's (ABA) Overview of Powers of Attorney and Agents
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/real_property_trust_estate/resources/estate_planning/p
ower_of_attorney.html
More Advance Directives: Information About Healthcare Proxies, Do-Not-Resuscitate Order
(DNR) and Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatments (MOLST)
http://www.crouse.org/health/resources/advance-directives/
American Bar Association – several links to their consumer publications about managing other
people’s money, advance directives, and much more
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_aging/publications.html
Managing Someone Else’s Money
http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201310_cfpb_lay_fiduciary_guides_agents.pdf
HOME SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING:
Better Housing for Tompkins County (access for home modifications for elderly who qualify)
http://www.betterhousingtc.org/
Falls Prevention Resource Guide (Tompkins County Office for the Aging)
http://tompkinscountyny.gov/files/cofa/documents/2013%20June%20Fall%20Prevention%20R
esource%20Guide%20COFA%20Web.pdf
This CaringHome.org (tips and tools for home safety for persons with dementia)
http://www.thiscaringhome.org/index.aspx
Signs and Symptoms of Depression in Older Adults and the Elderly
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_elderly.htm
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA): Tips for Family
http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/older-adults/tips-family
What’s Happened to My Mother? How to Know When Your Family Member Isn’t Caring for
Herself and What to Do About It
http://www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/info-11-2012/recognizing-abuse-selfneglect.html
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
http://longtermcare.gov/the-basics/what-is-long-term-care/
ADLs and IADLs Needs Assessment Worksheet
http://www.caregiverslibrary.org/Portals/0/checklistsandforms_NeedsAssessmentWorksheet.p
df
It's So Much More Than Moving: Your Guide to Stress-Free Rightsizing and Relocation
http://www.nasmm.org/education/Guide_To_Rightsizing_and_Relocating.pdf
DRIVING SAFETY FOR THE AGING:
Senior Driving: Take an Interactive Quiz and Evaluate Your Driving Ability Online
http://seniordriving.aaa.com/evaluate-your-driving-ability
Older Driver Safety: Warning Signs and Knowing When to Stop
http://www.helpguide.org/elder/senior_citizen_driving.htm
Best Car Features for Caregivers
http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/transportation/info-11-2011/cars-for-caregivers.html
ITHACA AREA TRAVEL INFORMATION FOR OLDER PEOPLE:
Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) Half-Fare for Seniors
http://www.tcatbus.com/content/view/half-fare.html
Gadabout Bus Service for Tompkins County
http://ccetompkins.org/community/way2go/gadabout
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Paratransit Bus
http://ccetompkins.org/community/way2go/ada-paratransit
Friends in Service Helping (FISH)
http://fishoftc.org/index.html
LEVELS OF CARE:
Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Planning for Long-Term Care?
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/document.aspx?ContentTypeID=40&ContentID=
LongTermCareQuiz
A Guide to Different Levels of Eldercare
http://www.insideeldercare.com/assisted-living/a-guide-to-different-levels-of-elder-care/
So Far Away: Twenty Questions and Answers About Long-Distance Caregiving
http://www.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/so_far_away_twenty_questions_about_longdistance_caregiving.pdf
HOMECARE
How to Select a Home Health Care Agency
www.cicoa.org/services/in-home-services/how-to-select-a-home-health-care-agency.html
Hiring Private Duty Home Care Workers: Why Work Through an Agency?
http://www.caregiver.com/channels/ltc/articles/hiring_private_duty.htm
Hiring Help for Aging Parents? Read This First
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleaebeling/2013/09/20/the-loophole-in-the-new-dol-homecare-worker-rules/
ASSISTED LIVING
Consumer Information Guide: Assisted Living Residence
www.health.ny.gov/publications/1505.pdf
Information About Adult Care Facilities and Assisted Living Residences: An Informational
Resource for NY Connects Professionals Prepared by Empire State Association of Assisted Living
www.esaal.org/pdf/NYConnectsGuide.pdf
Empire State Association of Assisted Living
http://www.ny-assisted-living.org/
Senior Living Options: Assisted Living
http://www.alfa.org/alfa/Assisted_Living_Information.asp
SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES
Nursing Homes: Making the Right Choice
http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/nursing-homes
A Checklist to Help You Ask the Right Questions When Choosing a Long-Term Care Facility
http://www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/info-05-2012/caregiving-resource-center-askingright-questions.2.html
Medicare Nursing Home Finder
http://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home
http://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/02174.pdf
FINANCING LONG-TERM CARE:
Financing Long-Term Care: A Resource Center for Families
http://www1.extension.umn.edu/family/personal-finance/planning-for-health-care/long-termcare-resource-center/
Medicare: Type in Your Test, Item or Service and See If It’s Covered
http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home-health-services.html
Genworth 2013 Cost of Care Survey: Home Care Providers, Adult Day Health Care Facilities,
Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes. Includes a Data Table Showing Daily Rates for
Private and Semi-Private Rooms in the Ithaca Area.
https://www.genworth.com/dam/Americas/US/PDFs/Consumer/corporate/New%20York_gnw.
pdf
BenefitsCheckUp
www.benefitscheckup.org
HOW TO FIND HELP:
12 Resources Every Caregiver Should Know About
http://www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/info-08-2012/important-resources-forcaregivers.html
Caregiver Action Network (CAN)
http://caregiveraction.org
Official Social Security Website
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/
LongTermCare.gov
http://longtermcare.gov/
SeniorLiving.org
http://seniorliving.org/
Eldercare.gov
http://eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Index.aspx
NY Connects
http://www.nyconnects.ny.gov/nyprovider/consumer/indexNY.do
OFFICES FOR THE AGING:
Tompkins County
http://tompkinscountyny.gov/cofa/
Cayuga County
http://www.cayugacounty.us/LivingWorking/OfficefortheAging.aspx
Cortland County
http://www.cortland-co.org/ofa/
Broome County
http://www.gobroomecounty.com/senior/
Chemung County
http://www.chemungcounty.com/index.asp?pageId=184
Schuyler County
http://www.schuylercounty.us/Index.aspx?NID=157
Steuben County
http://www.steubencony.org/Pages.asp?PGID=31
Tioga County
http://www.tiogacountyny.com/agencies/department-of-aging.html
PENNSYLVANIA (select resources)
Pennsylvania Department of Aging
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=616424&mode=2
PA Department of Public Welfare Long-Term Care Services
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/foradults/healthcaremedicalassistance/longtermcareservices/
PA's Prescription Assistance Programs for Persons Age 65 and Older
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pace_and_affordable_medications
/17942
OPTIONS to Help PA Residents Aged 60 Years and Older Find Long-Term Care
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=616552&mode=2
PDA’s Aging Waiver Program
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=616549&mode=2
PA Free Transit Program for Persons 65 Years and Older
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=616418&mode=2
Pennsylvania Homecare Association
http://www.pahomecare.org/index.php?pID=373
POLST: What It Is, and What It Is Not
http://reporter.phca.org/en/1311314/1/212/POLST-What-It-Is-and-What-It-Isn%27t.htm
PA State-Specific Data From the Genworth 2013 Cost of Care Survey: Home Care Providers,
Adult Day Health Care Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes
https://www.genworth.com/dam/Americas/US/PDFs/Consumer/corporate/Pennsylvania_gnw.
pdf
The Shared-Ride Program for Older Pennsylvanians
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=4984&&PageID=481712&lev
el=2&css=L2&mode=2
Get Connected to a Local Senior Center
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/senior_centers/17960
HELPFUL BLOGS AND ARTICLES:
The New Old Age
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/
AARP’s Caregiving
http://blog.aarp.org/category/caregiving-2/
As Our Parents Age
http://asourparentsage.net/
The Long Trip Into a Dark Season
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/25/the-fifth-season-review/
A Novel Way to Document End-of-Life Preferences
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/25/a-novel-way-to-document-end-of-lifepreferences/
Where’s That Advance Care Directive?
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/wheres-that-advance-care-directive/
Taking a Zen Approach to Caregiving
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/taking-a-zen-approach-to-caregiving/
Hiring an End-of-Life Enforcer
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/24/hiring-an-end-of-lifeenforcer/?partner=rss&emc=rss
Family Caregiving Can Be Stressful, Rewarding and Life-Affirming
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/10/16/235384054/family-caregiving-can-be-stressfulrewarding-and-life-affirming
Getting While the Getting Is Good
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/getting-while-the-getting-is-good/
Advice About Assisted Living for Aging Relatives, Part 1
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/16/booming/advice-about-assisted-living-for-agingrelatives-part-1.html?src=recg
Advice About Assisted Living for Aging Relatives, Part 2
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/23/booming/advice-about-assisted-living-for-agingrelatives-part-2.html