Where To Get More Help & Information
For more details about agencies and programs that support seniors and their carers, and offer support with senior long-term care concerns, just click on the links below:Governmental Resources
The "Elders and Families" section of the Administration on Aging (AoA) website is designed to assist older persons and their caregivers obtain information and resources on a variety of aging-related topics, such as Disaster Assistance, Elder Rights & Resources, Housing, Nutrition and Promoting Healthy Lifestyles, Alzheimer's Resource Room.
The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is the local arm of the national aging network. It provides subcontracted services to persons aged 60 and older through grants from the Federal Administration on Aging, State of California, and the County of Alameda. These services include: Adult Day Care and Alzheimer's Services (Day Care and Respite), Elder Abuse Prevention and Money Management, Legal Services, Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent Services and Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Services (HICAP).
Adult and Aging Services is part of the Alameda County Social Services Department. It coordinates services that protect, support, and advocate for an aging population. For example, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Medi-Cal Long_Term Care, Adult Protection, Veterans Services and Area Agency on Aging (AAA) services.
The website offers information about Medicare & Medicaid. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a Federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMS aims to provide leadership in the healthcare marketplace to improve health, foster appropriate and predictable payments and high quality care and be an accountable steward of public funds.
This official US Government site, provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, offers information on planning for your long-term care. Topics such as "What kind of care you need" and "How your needs may change" are considered, as well as "How you will pay for your care" and a brief discussion of Medicare and Medicaid.
The California Department of Aging (CDA) unifies services to seniors and adults with disabilities. It serves as a focal point for federal, state and local agencies; HICAP in one such service. HICAP aims to provide accurate and objective counseling, advocacy, and assistance with Medicare, health insurance, and related health coverage plans for Medicare beneficiaries or their representatives, and to educate the public on Medicare and health insurance issues.
The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) is a statewide program. Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS) has been selected to provide HICAP services in Alameda County.
The Community Care Licensing (CCL) Division of the California State administration promotes the health, safety, and quality of life of each person in community care by promoting continuous improvement throughout the community care licensing system, strategies to increase voluntary compliance, providing technical assistance to care providers and by working collaboratively with clients, their families, advocates, care providers, placement agencies, and others involved in communtiy care.Advocates for Seniors
Ombudsmen are dedicated to enhancing the lives of long term care residents.
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Enhancing quality of life for all as we age. Leading positive social change and delivering value to people age 50 and over through information, etc.
This website provides fact sheets summaries on the most common issues facing advocates, families and caregivers. Each two-page document answers key, frequently asked questions. The National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR) was formed because of public concern about substandard care in nursing homes. NCCNHR are consumers and advocates who promote quality for people with long-term care needs through informed, empowered consumers, promoting best practices in care delivery, enforcement for consumer-directed living standards.
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) fights for the rights of long-term care residents in California. CANHR has directed its resources toward developing consumer information e.g. on Medi-Cal and long term care issues, legal services, lobbying for tougher sanctions for abusers and fighting for equitable Medi-Cal rules.
Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS) is a non-profit agency serving Alameda County residents who are 60 years of age and older. It provide legal advice and information, representation in court and administrative hearings and community education and training on legal issues. LAS helps seniors with income maintenance, housing, incapacity, preventing elder abuse, legal services for immigrants.
Bay Area Community Services (BACS) is a community based, non-profit agency serving nearly 4,000 people each year in 40 locations throughout Alameda County. BACS Older Adult Programs serve seniors in Alameda County, with an emphasis on the frail and homebound. These programs provide an alternative to institutional care and most clients remain living at home with the support they receive from BACS.
Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) was the first community-based nonprofit organization in the country to address the needs of families and friends providing long-term care at home. FCA now offers programs at national, state and local levels to support and sustain caregivers. FCA's information library currently includes nearly 100 different Fact Sheets and publications on caregiving issues and FCA posts new publications on an ongoing basis.See also:-
Elder Abuse & Complaints About Quality of Care
The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) offers a graphic insight into identifying and reporting elder abuse on the web page entitled "The Basics".
The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) aims to achieve a clearer understanding of abuse and provide direction and leadership to prevent it. The Committee is one of six partners that make up the National Center on Elder Abuse. The web site answers questions such as "What is Elder Abuse?" and "What Communities Can Do".
California Health Advocates (CHA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to education and advocacy efforts on behalf of California Medicare beneficiaries. It promotes the work of the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (
HICAP) projects serving 4.1 million Medicare beneficiaries of all ages throughout California.
This citizens' guide was prepared by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse and Crime & Violence Prevention Center, in conjunction with AARP.See also:-
Finance Issues
This webpage provides a glossary of defined terms to help you as you investigate long-term care insurance.Helpguide.org offers expert, non-commercial information on mental health and longlife wellness issues including care options, financial support, medical conditions, end-of-life options, caregiver support.
See also:-
- Medicare Guide to Long-Term Care
- Legal Assistance for Seniors
- AARP Guide to Financing Long-Term Care
- Long-Term Care Insurance Options for Senior Housing and Residential Care at Helpguide.org
- Payment Options for Senior Housing and Residential Care at Helpguide.org
Support Services and Support Groups
Alzheimer's Services of the East Bay (ASEB) provides services to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other related dementia and support for their caregivers. This website gives details of ASEB's two Adult Day Health Care centers, the "early-stage" program for individuals challenged by Alzheimer's and related conditions and publicises training and education programs.See also:-
Choosing Care
Summary of Long-Term Care Choices is a table comparing the costs of different types of long-term care. This is from the U.S. government Medicare site.
The Community Care Licensing Division of the California Department of Social Services provides a means of searching for a licensed Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) in your geographic area.
The California Healthcare Foundation, in conjunction with the University of California, San Francisco, provides "Your Guide to Long-Term Care in California". This includes details of how to "Explore Your Long-Term Care Options" and "Compare Facilities and Services".
New LifeStyles Online is the ultimate resource for senior living and care options. We provide you with everything you need to make an informed, comfortable decision about your own or your loved one's future.See also:-