Life Care Planning Internet Resources | Elder Care Planning Web Links

This list of Web resources and Internet links will help you expand your knowledge of life care planning and elder care planning in Southern Illinois. We want our long-term care planning clients to be informed and educated about their options, whether they are exploring Medicaid information, Veteran's benefits information, Alzheimer's Disease information, nursing home information, assisted living information, or legal document information.

Memory Loss / Alzheimer's Disease / Dementia / Stroke

• Alzheimer’s Association: When Alzheimer's disease touches your life, the Alzheimer's Association is there to help.  They can provide you a warm, knowledgeable voice on the phone, face-to-face counsel and support, accurate information, the safe return of a loved one, or first-rate professional education.
• Alzheimer's Hope:

  Alzheimer's Hope is a website that provides information on how to help the ones we love. There is information on the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease, and strategies for dealing with not only the 3 stages of the disease but also safety tips and wandering. The website also provides information on geriatric physicians, Alzheimer's planning elder law firms, and financial planning. A great site for practical information vital to caregivers and families who have a Alzheimer's loved one.

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke:

  This website contains a list of other stroke-related websites, including sites for:
        American Stroke Association
        Brain Aneurysm Foundation
        Brain Attack Coalition
        National Stroke Association
        National Aphasia Association
        Children's Hemiplegia and Stoke Association
        Hazel K. Goddess Fund for Stoke Research in Women
        American Health Assistance Foundation
        Heart Rhythm Foundation

Life Care Planning

• ALS Association:

  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.  No matter what your individual course or situation may be, the ALS Association can help.

• American Hospice:

  The American Hospice Foundation provides information and supports programs for terminally ill and grieving individuals, their families, and the professionals who care for them.

• Life Care Planning Law Firms Association:

  This association is a national network of holistic law practices that offer legal services, care coordination and advocacy services to help elderly clients and their families navigate the health care and long-term care maze.  Where traditional elder law firms focus on saving the elder's money for the next generation, the goal of the member firms is to use the elder's money to maximize the elder's qualify of life and independence. Consumers can search the website to locate a life care planning law firm in their area.

• National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers:

  The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (GCM) is an association of professional practitioners whose purpose is the development, advancement, and promotion of humane and dignified social, psychological, and health care for the elderly and their families through counseling, treatment, and the delivery of concrete services by qualified, certified providers. GCM is committed to working towards the highest quality of care for the elderly and their families through education, advocacy, and high standards of professional practice.

• National Elder Care Locator:

  A public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging. The Eldercare Locator connects older Americans and their caregivers with sources of information on senior services. The service links those who need assistance with state and local area agencies on aging and community-based organizations that serve older adults and their caregivers.

• National Parkinson Foundation:

  Knowledge is power and hope is everything. Every day at NPF, they strive to provide patients and caregivers with the resources that help you fight back and move forward.

Special Needs & Disability Planning

• Arthritis Foundation:

  This organization offers information and tools to help people live a better life with arthritis. Whether it's advice from medical experts or specialized arthritis self-management or exercise classes, the Arthritis Foundation can help.

• Special Needs Alliance:

  This organization is a national, not-for-profit alliance of attorneys dedicated to the practice of disability and public benefits law. Individuals with disabilities, their families and their advisors will find this site helpful in connecting them with attorneys who focus their practices in the disability law arena.

Helpful Links for Veterans

• Board of Veteran's Appeals
• CARES Commission
• Center for Minority Veterans
• Center for Women Veterans
• Compensation Rate Tables, 12-1-03
• Department of Veterans Affairs Home Page
• Depleted Uranium Fact Sheet
• Directory of Veterans Service Organizations
• Disability Examination Worksheets Index, Comp
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
• Emergency, Non-emergency, and Fee Basis Care
• Environmental Agents
• EVALUATION PROTOCOL FOR GULF WAR AND IRAQI FREEDOM VETERANS WITH POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM (DU)
• EVALUATION PROTOCOL FOR NON-GULF WAR VETERANS WITH POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM (DU)
• Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependants 2005
• Forms and Records Request
• Geriatrics and Extended Care
• Guide to Gulf War Veteran's Health
• Gulf War Subject Index
• Gulf War Veteran's Illnesses Q&As
• Hearings
• Homeless Veterans
• HSR&D Home
• Index to Disability Examination Worksheets C&P exams
• M21-1 Table of Contents
• Mental Disorders, Schedule of Ratings
• Mental Health Program Guidelines
• My Health e Vet
• National Association of State Directors
• Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders, Schedule of Ratings
• Parkinson's Disease and Related Neurodegenerative Disorders (1st link)
• Parkinson's Disease and Related Neurodegenerative Disorders (2nd link)
• Peacetime Disability Compensation
• Prosthetics Eligibility
• Public Health and Environmental Hazards Home Page
• Publications Manuals
• REQUEST FOR AND CONSENT TO RELEASE OF INFORMATION FROM CLAIMANT'S RECORDS
• Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses
• Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses April 11, 2002
• Title 38, Pensions, Bonuses and Veteran’s Relief All parts Directory
• U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
• VA Best Practice Manual for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• VA Life Insurance Handbook
• VA Loan Lending Limits and Jumbo Loans
• VA National Hepatitis C Program
• VA Office of Research and Development
• VA Trainee Pocket Card on Gulf War
• VA WMD EMSHG
• Vet Center Eligibility - Readjustment Counseling Service
• Veterans Benefits Administration Main Web Page
• Veterans Legal and Benefits Information
• VHA Forms, Publications, Manuals
• VHA Public Health Strategic Health Care Group Home Page
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Vocational Rehabilitation Subsistence
• VONAPP online
• War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center - New Jersey:
• Wartime Disability Compensation
• Welcome to the GI Bill Web Site

General

• Ambest: A third good insurance rating service.
• American Association of Retired Persons (AARP):

  AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over. AARP is dedicated to enhancing quality of life for all as we age. The association leads positive social change and deliver value to members through information, advocacy and service. AARP also provides a wide range of unique benefits, special products, and services for their members. These benefits include the AARP Web site at www.aarp.org, "AARP The Magazine," the monthly "AARP Bulletin," and a Spanish-language newspaper, "Segunda Juventud."  Active in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP celebrates the attitude that age is just a number and life is what you make it.

• Answers on Aging:

  Area Agency on Aging for the following 7 counties:
  Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington

• Center for Medicare Advocacy:

  The Center is a private, not-for-profit organization staffed by attorneys, paralegals, a nurse, and computer specialists, and provides legal advice, information, and advocacy for Medicare beneficiaries nationwide. The Center produces a wide array of written material to assist Medicare beneficiaries and their advocates including self-help packets, brochures, and a quarterly newsletter. Much of this information is available on the Center's website. In addition, the Center is involved in education, policy making, important litigation concerning Medicare beneficiaries throughout the country.

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS):

  This is the CMS page for Medicaid consumer information. Medicaid is a state administered program and each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services. Read more about your state Medicaid program on this site.

• Egyptian Area Agency on Aging:

  Area Agency on Aging for the following 13 counties:
  Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, and Williamson.

• Elder Law Answers:

  The combination of an informed consumer and a qualified attorney produces the best legal results for the clients.  ElderLawAnswers.com supports seniors, their families and their attorneys in achieving their goals by providing the following services:
       The best information on the Internet about crucial legal issues facing seniors.
       A network of highly qualified elder law attorneys nationwide.
       Online practice tools for elder law attorneys.

• Hot Links (to many senior resources): This web page is part of the website of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. (NAELA), a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations, and others who work with older clients and their families.
• IllinoisLawHelp.org:

  Information for Illinois residents about your legal rights and responsibilities, instructions on how to handle common legal problems, court forms and more.

• Medicare:

  The official U.S. government site for people with Medicare. Search tools include:
        Helpful Contacts
        Help with Home Health Search
        Medicare Eligibility Tool
        Medicare Personal Plan Finder
        Participating Physician Directory
        Prescription Drug and Other Assistance Programs
        Supplier Directory

• Medicare Rights Center:

  The Medicare Rights Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that older adults and people with disabilities get good, affordable health care.  This website offers helpful and reliable Medicare information for professionals in the health care field.

• Midland AAA:

  Area Agency on Aging for the following 5 counties:
  Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Jefferson, and Marion.

• Moodys: One of three good insurance rating services.
• NAELA:

  This web page also is part of the NAELA website. You can search and screen for senior housing options nationwide. This comprehensive, up-to-date and objective decision-support tool includes more than 60,000 listings including all assisted living, nursing & rehabilitation, residential care, continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and a growing number of independent living retirement communities.

• National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association:

  This site is for consumers interested in learning more about reverse mortgages. The information provided on this site is provided by the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA). Established in 1997, NRMLA, headquartered in Washington, DC, is the national voice for lenders and investors engaged in the reverse mortgage business.  NRMLA fulfills several roles, which include educating consumers about the opportunity to utilize reverse mortgages, training lenders to be sensitive to the needs of older Americans, developing Best Practices and a Code of Conduct to make sure lenders participating in the program treat seniors respectfully, and promoting reverse mortgages in the media.

• Social Security Online:

  The official website of the U.S. Social Security Administration. It answers questions about the following topics and has lots of other information as well:
       Benefits
       Changes of address
       Checks and payments
       Disability
       Earnings and employment
       Fees for representatives
       Forms and publications
       Government pension rules
       Hearings and appeals
       Immigration
       International issues
       Internet benefit claims
       Law and regulations
       Medicare
       Online transactions
       Prisoner rules
       Retirement plans
       Services to the public
       Social Security Administration
       Social Security number and card
       Social Security statements
       Supplemental Security Income
       Taxes and Social Security

• Standard and Poors: A second good insurance rating service.
• www.seiaoa.com:

  Area Agency on Aging for the following 9 counties:
  Crawford, Edwards, Hamilton, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White.

Habiger & Associates Elder Law Office (HAELO) provides legal services to elderly or disabled persons in Southern Illinois. The founder of the firm, Richard Habiger, is an elder law attorney with more than 30 years experience. We are an Elder Law and Life Care Planning Law Firm that provides legal and care coordination assistance, including: Medicaid planning; asset protection; estate protection; Medicaid applications; Medicaid appeals; VA pension benefits planning and applications for veterans and their surviving spouses; planning for those with Alzheimer's, dementia, or other forms of memory loss, and those who have suffered a stoke; Hospice planning; and special needs planning, including special needs trusts and supplemental needs trusts.

HAELO is located in Carbondale Illinois, and serves clients in twenty-seven Southern Illinois counties south of Interstate 70 highway. Southern Illinois Counties: Jackson County, Williamson County, Union County, Franklin County, Perry County, Saline County, Jefferson County, Hamilton County, Johnson County,  Randolph County, Wayne County, White County, Washington County, Edwards County, Monroe County, Wabash County, Richland County, Clay County, Marion County, Clinton County, Bond County, Fayette County, Effingham County, Jasper County, Crawford County, Massac County, Pulaski County, Alexander County, Pope County, Hardin County, Gallatin County, and Lawrence County.
Southern Illinois Cities & Towns: Carbondale, Murphysboro, Carterville, Herrin, Marion, Anna, Vienna, Metropolis, Harrisburg, West Frankfort, DuQuoin, Benton, Chester, Pinckneyville, Mt. Vernon, McLeansboro, Carmi, Fairfield, Nashville, Waterloo, Centralia, Salem, Albion, Mt. Carmel, Flora, Olney, Lawrenceville, Newton, Robinson, Jonesboro, Eldorado, Shawneetown, Ridgway, Sparta, Golconda, Johnston City, Marissa, Coulterville, Carlyle, Ullin, Tamms, Elizabethtown, Galatia, Wayne City, Cobden, Lake of Egypt, Goreville, Brookport, Olive Branch, Cave-in-Rock, Carrier Mills, Energy, Cambria, Zeigler, Royalton, Christopher, Rosiclare, Sesser, Okawville, Woodlawn, Thompsonville, Steeleville, Raleigh, Olmsted, Baldwin, Villa Ridge, Mounds, Tunnel Hill, Red Bud, Trenton, New Baden, Ewing, Dix, Norris City, Creal Spring, Bridge Port, Sumner, Waltonville, Breese, Aviston, Germantown, Whittington, Vandalia, and Ina.