Is it difficult for you to climb up the stairs? And every time you have to go down you are afraid to fall? Then you have to choices - to move downstairs or to install a home stairlift. Domestic stair lifts has their own advantages and disadvantages - find out if a stairlift will be right for your home.

Moving to the ground floor might be the first thing that comes to mind, but it is not as simple as it sounds. You will have to do major renovations in the house, modifying one of the existing rooms as a bedroom or adding an additional room. Also you will have to create a bathroom. All of this involves an awful lot of work and expenses.

Home stairlifts are not cheap, but comparable to all the costs involved in moving downstairs, they are a more economical solution. Also installing a stairlift is not as much of a hassle as you may think. Companies that sell stairlifts usually take care of all the installation; all you need to do is to measure your stairs. And for an additional fee, most stairlift retailers can do the measurements as well.

Types of home lifts

You can get a suitable stairlift regardless of what type of stairs you have. If you’ve got an ordinary straight staircase, then you are in luck because straight stairlifts are the most common and the least expensive. If you have curved stairs, than you will need a curved stairlift. Stairlifts can be electric or battery powered.

Modern stair lift companies offer a variety of stair elevators, you can get:

- Standard straight lifts

- Curved lifts

- Through-floor lifts (also good for wheelchairs)

- Lifts designed with shafts

Home stairlifts are produced by companies who make other mobility equipment. Most reliable and durable lifts are by Stannah, Acorn, Ameriglide and Bruno.

Selecting a stairlift that is right for your home

There are two main types of elevators - lifts with a sit and wheelchair lifts. Sitting elevators are cheaper, and they are generally a good choice for elderly people. However, if you are disabled and you think that your condition can progress to the point that you will need a wheelchair, it is better to install a wheelchair lift, like a through-floor elevator, from the start.

Lifts mode of operation is also important. Most machines are operated by the person who is lifted; however some lifts can be operated by another person, such as your nurse. If you think you might need this option, than installing it from the start will save you a lot.

Check if the sit if comfortable for you, most companies let you personalize the sit of your home elevator. It can be adjusted so you are sitting tight, while lifted. Also a variety of sits is available - you can get a standard, removable or folding sit. For your safety a sit belt can be also included.

What direction do you prefer to face while the lift is in operation? Popular models of home elevators usually face sideways. However, if you would rather face forward, you can find models that suit you. Facing forward is a good option for people with stiff knees - it allows you more room.

Used domestic stairlift is an option if you want to save

Home elevators are expensive. Even the simplest model will cost you at least $2000. However, you can find many pre-owned home lifts. It often happens that person’s disability is temporary, and after they recover, there is no need for an elevator anymore. Most companies that sell brand new lifts also assist people in selling their used stairlifts.

A home stairlift can be a great addition to your house, providing safety and comfort for elderly and disabled people. With so many options, you can surely find an elevator that will suit your purpose.

Tanya Turner is a publisher of StairLifts Central where you can find information about home stairlifts and wheelchair lift. Compare lifts by different brands and styles.

The process of dying is one of the great stages of learning of the human soul, often met with fear and resistance, yet even in the presence of these, filled with the growth of the soul in its appreciation of its relationship to life.

There is no one way to experience dying so that it produces the maximum amount of growth. For some, the sense of flow from one aspect of life to another is intuitively felt, even if nothing in the earlier stages of life has been articulated as a spiritual belief about the afterlife. For others, there is a well-defined understanding and sometimes experience of the continuity of life, so that apart from the pain or discomfort that may be present during the final stage of physical life, there is no fear. For still others, there is a sense of confusion about the end of life – a perplexity about anticipating non-existence. Often, the idea of death has been imposed on the psyche from the past and includes the notion that there is a kind of black-out of consciousness in which everything ends. And yet, even though this may make sense to the mind, it is perplexing to the heart which cannot comprehend such an idea.

Over and over again, a person who is trying to make sense of the experience of dying is pondering the question of what happens next, whether they are actively doing so in a conscious way or not. It is the main question of the last stage of life for many, especially for those who have not yet come to a conclusion which leaves them with a sense of peace. Even in the presence of denial concerning death’s approach, or of anger that life has been ‘cut short’, or in the presence of the desire to just keep living without any thought of the future - even in the presence of each of these attitudes, the underlying process of trying to deal with the perplexity concerning the end of life is taking place.

For those who have inherited a family configuration in which caring for elderly parents is very much part of a central aspect of living, it is very important to know how to be with the dying process in the elderly. And for those who are simply loving the ones who are preparing to pass out of their physical existence, it is also important to know how to be with this stage of experience and of life.

What is crucial to remember and to trust is that the process of learning and of absorbing the meaning of death and of life is happening even if the elderly parent or loved one gives no sign that this is so. It is happening on the level of the deeper consciousness or soul, even if it is not happening outwardly or in a way that can be articulated. The deeper self is reaching out toward light and truth, and though the outer self may not understand that there is an answer to the question of “why?” – why death, why life - the inner being knows that there is.

For some, the process of dying is the most central experience of life, however it may appear externally. It may be that life has been lived fully, with relationships, family, a productive work life, and experiences that have been rich and alive for many years, and at the end of life that there is more and more limitation and restriction of activity. At such times it may seem to an observer and also to the one who has become very limited physically, that life is not being lived fully any more because of the cessation of physical activity. This is never the case. The shift has simply been made or is being made from a physically observable living of life with outer events that can be marked, to a less observable or invisible inner life that is being refocused around the question of life and death. What causes anxiety or distress in those who are witnessing this shift is the hardship of the limitation of the physical activity and functioning of the aging and dying person. What would relieve this distress to a considerable degree is the knowing that the dying process is taking place successfully, no matter what the outer manifestation that is occurring concerning actively dealing with it. Some things can be processed more easily through the mental aspect of comprehension and articulation of ideas, and some things must take place below the threshold of awareness in a place that joins mind and heart in a synergy in which both are trying to feel their way into a new experience and into a new understanding.

The positive support of those surrounding an elderly person who faces death is of great importance in all situations, for what can get transmitted through this loving support may not be ideas about death and the continuity of life, but the feelings associated with such beliefs of hope, of safety, of trust, and of peace. These feelings can be transmitted without words. They exist in the heart and in the deeper knowing of the soul, and so even without active conversations with loved ones, these deeper feelings and attitudes can be conveyed with benefit.

In the end, each person as a soul must go through the passage from physical life in their own way and with the experiences they are ready to have. The time can be a rich one and even a joyful one for one who knows that they are on the verge of experiencing an expansion of life’s possibilities, rather than a diminishing of the reality of existence. For such a one, the prospect of dying has the feeling of going home to something familiar, even if not known, and can be a place that one anticipates visiting or entering with a sense of peace and with a deep sense of homecoming.

For those who are not yet ready for this perception and preparation, it is often the experience of dying itself, even within the last moments of life or at the time of the last breath, that conveys the truth of the continuity of life to the departing soul. These moments of passage are an experience all their own, and no matter what has led up to them, a soul is capable of a profound amount of awakening and of new learning at the time of death’s completion. For this reason, it is important to greet the passage from physical life as a journey with many parts, and to know that the final part, the moment of the soul being exhaled from the body, may be the last breath of physical life but the first real knowing by the soul that it will not die, but that it will live and continue into ongoing life.

For additional writings by Julie Redstone and Messages by Request see Pathways of Light. For more about the perspective of the soul, see the Calendar of 100 Days and other Calendars offered within Pathways of Light.

The “kids,” Sally and Lance, still live up north – Sally in Minnesota and Lance in Wisconsin. They would like their parents to move close to one of them. They want to make sure their folks have the help they need, and be available for emergencies. Sally lives close to where she grew up, and feels her parents would feel at home living near her. But her parents think otherwise. It’s been twenty years since they left. Most of their Minnesota friends are gone – moved or deceased. In Arizona, they have friends, church and familiar doctors. Sure, they’d like to be closer to their kids, but it’s going to mean taking on a whole new type of life. Moving back takes them out of their comfort zone.

As with so much in life, there is no easy answer. My elderly friend, Mary, was a widow. She’d lived in North Dakota for seven-and-a-half decades. She had her neighborhood, her social circle, her church, doctor and dentist. She was comfortable with the stores she shopped in.

But, because her health was declining, her children wanted her to live near them. She often had to call on friends for help. I went on a rescue mission for more than one emergency. Mary resisted her children’s pleading for a long time, but then she became so ill, she was afraid. She agreed to move to be near one of her sons.

Her son set her up in a beautiful facility where she had all the independence she wanted, and the help she needed. He and his wife took her places, she spent a great deal of time at their home, and they visited often, with the grandchildren. They took her to doctor appointments; got her settled in church. Yet she was never truly happy. She’d left so much of herself in North Dakota.

Was moving right for Mary? I doubt that she could have lived independently much longer. Her family could have used the Elder Locator (http://www.eldercare.gov) to find agencies that would provide the needed help in her home. (In this case I was able to help find some help). But someone had to be able to supervise and check on the quality of care. The family wasn’t comfortable with that option.

Mary’s health was such that, if she stayed in her apartment, she likely would have needed long-term nursing care before too long. Her move to a flexible living situation put that off for awhile. Though she had her son near by, she was lonely for the life she had left behind. Moving was a difficult choice; an imperfect answer. Each case is unique. When seniors are able, they need to be presented with every possible option, so they can make their own choices. Mary reluctantly chose to move. Not everyone would. But once the choice is made, it’s easier to get the whole family on the same page, and keep the senior’s quality of life at the highest level possible. That’s about all anyone can do.

For over twenty years author, columnist and speaker Carol Bradley Bursack cared for a neighbor and six elderly family members. Because of this experience, Carol created a portable support group – the book “Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. Her sites http://www.mindingourelders.com and http://www.mindingoureldersblogs.com, includes helpful links and agencies. Carol’s column, “Minding Our Elders,” runs weekly, she speaks at many caregiver workshops and conferences and has been interviewed by national radio, newspapers and magazines.

A straight stair lift is a powered driven stair lift that travels in a straight track. It is mostly used in homes where the stairs have no curves or bends. It is also often used in the outdoors for example the garden.

Straight stair lifts are mostly installed in homes to carry the disabled and the elderly up the straight flight of stairs. It can be used for other purposes as well such as carrying heavy loads. Examples can be grocery or heavy luggage.

Most stair lifts nowadays uses remote control that will take the chair to another floor which provides more convenience.

Before installing a straight stair lift, stair lift manufacturers will have to do an assessment of your home to determine if your home can install a straight stair lift. For instance, some straight staircases have a projection at the top of the stairs and it may not be possible to install a straight stair lift. This is particularly so if you plan to install a stair lift that lifts a wheelchair instead of the turnaround seat.

Generally speaking, a straight stair lift takes the shortest time to install and is also cheaper than curved stair lifts. The other factor that determines the cost of installing a straight stair lift is the length of the track that needs to be installed.

I would recommend if you want to install a straight stair lift to get several quotes from stair lift manufacturers or dealers if deciding. You might want to consider a second hand stair lift if you do not have the budget to buy a new stair lift since it can be expensive.

Ricky Lim highly recommends getting a straight stair lift as it is cheaper to install and less expensive. Visit his site for more information on stair lift prices.

Over the last few years, I’ve increasingly become an active partner with my 86 & 88 year old parents’ healthcare adventures – some of which have been equal to Alice’s in Wonderland.

Does it surprise you to know that I have found many doctors in a geographic area filled with aging retirees to be less than adept in their treatment of an elder patient? I’m guessing it comes as no surprise to members of The Greatest Generation or their children sharing in their care. And since that will be all of us someday, it’s up to all of us to become not only aware of the paucity of decent healthcare for aging folks, but active proponents for improving such an absurd disconnect between supply and demand.

I’ll give my father’s recent experience as an example. His one condition was misdiagnosed and the other was incorrectly medicated, all due to a lack of proper attention on the part of not one but two doctors. We were not about to give up on him as local doctors had, however, so we took him to one of the best doctors in the country, in a facility with state of the art diagnostic equipment (all in NYC) where he received both amazing care and a new lease on life. What would have happened had we not done our own research and taken aggressive action, instead leaving him in the hands of practitioners best suited to treat someone who is 32 and generally healthy? My father’s best friend found out…he passed away while my father was in the hospital – of the same condition as my father’s.

So, here’s some tips for those to whom this issue applies – which did I mention is really everyone?

1. Be a full partner in care, not a passive consumer:

Conduct yourself like a professional healthcare coordinator who is responsible for a precise understanding of all aspects of the patient’s care (starting with a crash course on the diagnosed conditions and their treatments) – do not blindly accept information or opinions of medical professionals who see hundreds of patients a week and spend a very limited time with all of them

2. Hold your healthcare professionals accountable for quality care:

Do not accept non-answers, vague answers, answers in medical jargon, or the attempt made by so many doctors to treat your questions as silly or unnecessary – you would not accept this of any other service provider, and a doctor is no different

3. Always seek second or even third opinions:

In fact, seek out the leaders in the specialty associated with the patient’s diagnosed condition, wherever they are – also remember, this is business, so do not accept guilt trips, hurt feelings, or any other unprofessional reaction on the part of your doctor – if that happens, find another doctor

4. Do not accept long waits due to over-booking:

Being retired does not mean that one’s time is any less valuable – the archaic practice of over-booking is both disrespectful and a sign of the level of care you can expect to receive once you’ve waited another 40 minutes half-naked in the examination room…

5. Insist that all current medical providers work as a team and consult with each other:
This applies particularly as major treatment decisions are being made, and if any doctor refuses, find another who understands best medical practice

6. Insist that all doctors pay close attention to the patient’s current medications and treatments: (note this does not mean the assistant asking and then the doctor ignoring…)
Keep your own list of all current treatments &medications, and make sure they are discussed and compatible with each other (not contraindicated).

7. Finally, insist on an explanation of how your doctor views the impact of age on his/her approach to both preventive and interventive treatments. Don’t let a medical professional get away with limiting their level of care or treatment options simply because the patient is “elderly”… When that happens, find someone with a greater understanding of the immense capacity, resiliency, and determination of an elder person who is either treatable by someone with the appropriate level of expertise, or would rather fight to the end for an improved life than be sent home to fade away and die.

Terri Benincasa has a double Masters in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University, and over 15 years’ experience facilitating clients’ mastery of life–management & professional-development techniques designed to help with even the most difficult situations. She has been featured in the Tampa Bay area on WFLA’s Daytime Show, as a contributing editorial & advice columnist for the Tampa Tribune, and as the host of “What Works” on PAX-TV, a talk-show with a wellness flair!

Although a simple bath is one of the most relaxing ways to end a day, for some people, it can be a major problem. If you suffer from any disability that affects your mobility, or are sufficiently elderly that your movements are restricted, it can be difficult maneuvering in and out of your bathtub. However, there are a range of options available that can help you remove this problem, or at the very least, make your life a lot easier.

One of these is a walk in bathtub, which, as the name suggests, allows you to simply walk in to your tub and then fill it once you’re in the bathtub. By fitting a sealed door to the side of the tub, even the elderly and those with limited mobility can benefit from this type of tub. It also has a built-in seat, so that when you’re in the tub, it offers extra comfort and a resting area. Since there is also a safety grip bar at the side of the bathtub, and an anti-slip floor, it really is a safe as well as practical option.

Another extremely popular method of enhancing your existing bathtub is by fitting a grab bar. This is a simple attachment that you fit on the wall of either your bathtub, or the wall of your bathroom itself, depending on what is more beneficial for you to use. With this simple device, the danger of slipping while you either get into the bath or are getting out is greatly reduced. These can be purchased for between $50 - $100, although there are cheaper options available, such as those that use clamps instead of screws, and are only around $25.

If your mobility is particularly reduced, perhaps from old age or disability, then you should consider an ADA bathtub. This name comes from the Americans with Disabilities Act, and as such means that the bathtubs meet a required minimum standard. This includes features that will make the use of a bathtub much easier for those affected, including:

· Non-slip floor surfaces
· Longer and deeper bathtubs for easier access
· Grab bars are standard in the bathtubs
· Multi-side openings for ease of use
· Seats fitted for comfort and a resting place

Since ADA bathtubs have these and many other features as standard, not only does it improve the standard of life for the user, if they are actually being taken care of by a relative or care person then it allows them to be able to wash the person they are caring for a lot easier as well.

Rob Barnes writes for Bathtubs For You, a consumer guide to helping you select, buy and maintain bathtubs for people with special needs, covering types such walk in bathtubs and accessories such as bathtub grab bars.

Stair lifts allows aged and disabled people to live a normal life. It is a pretty new technology that has surfaced recently that allows people who have difficulty walking up and down the stairs. An electric rail is installed along the side of the stairs and the disabled can sit on the seat and with a press of a button, it will bring the person up the stairs. It’s similar to how a monorail works except on a smaller scale.

Of course, installing a stair lift is not cheap and before purchasing or renting a stair lift, there are a couple of points you need to take note.

Type of Stairs

The prices of stair lifts will depend on the type of stair lifts you plan to purchase or rent. And this will depend on the type of stairs you have in your house. Generally speaking, curved stair lifts are more expensive than straight rail stair lifts. Other types of stair lifts such as wheelchair platform stair lifts, outdoor stair lifts and goods stair lifts are also available.

What You Need

It can be difficult to determine the best type of stair lifts for your house. In this case, I would highly recommend you speak to the stair lift company first before purchasing one. Get quotations from different stair lift manufacturers before deciding which is the best. Also factor in the warranty period, cost of installation etc as it can be quite costly to repair or install a stair lift.

Stair lifts prices are dropping tremendously as more and more people start to realize the benefits of stair lifts. If you can’t afford to purchase a stair lift, most stair lift companies also provide stair lift rental service. It is much more affordable and the cost of installation and warranty is already accounted for.

Ricky Lim runs http://www.buystairlifts.net, a consumer stair lift reviews site. Visit his site for more information on stair lift prices.

More than 44 million adults in the United States are caregivers for adult family members, predominantly our parents. This can be challenging as we struggle to find the balance between caring for the people who raised us while continuing to hold jobs and care for our own spouses and children. When dealing with my own mother, who is 89 years old, I often find that we have experienced a role reversal; I am more like the parent in our relationship now and she is more like the child. This is an opportunity for me to give back to the woman who gave birth to me and raised me, sometimes under extremely difficult times, both emotionally and financially.

I believe that the way we care for our parents during this time in both of our lives comes down to one important factor - respect. They were respectful of our needs while we were growing up and we owe them that same consideration. I have broken down the aspects of this level of commitment and respect into the 7 areas that I make sure my mother enjoys as part of her quality of life.

1. Respect for her age - It isn’t easy being 89 years old. Many of the activities and daily routines she once enjoyed are now either not possible or extremely challenging. Simply changing a light bulb over the sink in the bathroom can become a potentially dangerous task. I make sure that these small chores are done for her before she attempts to do it herself.
2. Links to her past - Most of the people my mother has been friends with over the past fifty years have passed away. She has only a handful of people with whom she shares common bonds. I made sure she visited her hometown several years ago so she could have a more recent link with the people, the businesses and the home she grew up in. We took many pictures and now she enjoys making photo albums and scrapbooks about these important events in her life. She also enjoys showing these pictures and other memorabilia to anyone who comes to visit.
3. Finances - My mother still wants to do her own banking and bill paying. I have set up her account so that she has overdraft protection because sometimes she writes more checks than she has money in her account to cover. She does not want me to write checks for her to pay her bills so I wait patiently as she writes them out and has me mail them for her. This gives her the feeling of financial independence that we all need to have.
4. Something for her to be passionate about - I want my mother’s mind to stay sharp and alert for as many years as possible so I find things that she cares deeply enough about to argue for. In her case that is politics. We talk at length about politicians and issues. As long as she is angry about a political issue that she cares about I know that she is still thinking clearly.
5. Her cat - It is a known fact that people who live alone are much healthier and happier if they have a pet. My mother’s cat is getting older as well, but she is very patient with my mother. When I visit I make sure to pet the cat and acknowledge the cat’s presence, out of respect to my mother. Having a pet gives my mother the feeling that she is still able to care for another living being; the cat is completely dependent upon my mother to have its needs taken care of and that is good for my mother to experience that sense of being needed.
6. Nutrition and exercise - My mother refuses to wear her dentures so eating became a problem. I make sure that she has a wide variety of foods to choose from. She is always concerned about the cost so I don’t tell her if I spend $5 to get her favorite tuna salad from the service deli at the grocery store. I make sure she has a supply of one of the liquid energy drinks that are full of vitamins, minerals, and supplements. I also buy pop-top cans and pouches whenever I can because using any type of can opener id difficult. Instead of buying large, economy sizes of shampoo, laundry soap, or other items I buy her the smaller sizes or I refill them at my house before I take them to her. When it comes to exercise, I walk with my mother for 5-10 minutes when I am at her house several times a week. She took a bad fall almost two years ago, and although she didn’t break anything she is unable to get out very much. By walking very slowly with her she gets some exercise and keeps her body strong. Taking care of her cat is also helpful and a form of light exercise.
7. Time and attention - I left this area for last because I think it is the most important in many ways. Remember how your parents listened to everything you had to say when you were little, the same way we listen to everything our own children say. I try to do the same with my mother. If she wants to tell me about the radio show she listens to every night, I sit patiently and attentively and take in every detail. This is important to her so I make it be important to me. Giving our elderly parents our time and full attention is the greatest gift that we can give them.

I thank God for every day that I have with my mother. Just as we can’t get back the time when our children are little, we can’t get back this time with our parents at this stage in both of our lives.

Connie Ragen Green is a motivational writer, speaker, and mentor. To find out more visit her at http://greenhouse.typepad.com/law_of_attraction

My grandmother was staying here and she was bleeding from an aggravated ulcer that was caused due to too much medicine and she was bleeding from 5pm till 3am until someone got to help her and needed to go to Valley hospital Vegas for her bleeding stomach and they won’t let her back in

She has Medicaid insurance and no money and 82 yrs old
My father said that they want to sue also the family members for the bills

Its terrible in there

You can smell strong odors of urine thats unbearable

She is also bed ridden

She had Medicare but that dropped

My family has been paying for the bills but are getting out of hand

She tube feeds and cant go to the bathroom on her own

Senior Dimensions she has and Culinary union insurance

My aunt was told that they would put a lien on her property and seize her property if she didnt come up with the money

An attorney friend said they cannot do that
-
I would recommend you call the Governor’s office of consumer health assistance.
They are terrific…the agency was formed to help families just like yours.

Their number is 702-486-3587.

I really think they can help.

If I can offer you any additional information, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Beth fisher
KVBC News

So my aunt called and their going to have the inspectors come in and check the place out

Valley hospital still not feeding her and my aunt and cousin went to go feed her and they gave them flak about not being able to feed her

another aunt is writing letters to the governor, etc

http://www.memberofthefamily.net/watch/295017.htm

STOP THE VIOLENCE
http://www.stoptheviolenceuseyourtalents.com

Grandson
STOP THE VIOLENCE
www.stopviolenceuseyourtalents.com

Finding the right way to care for aging members of the family can be tough job. There are a variety of online resources for researching your options so you can make a choice that will benefit everyone.

The aging of America has led to a booming industry providing for the care of our seniors. It has also led to difficulties with Medicare and dire threats of the collapse of Social Security. What is important however is that the medical establishment has responded in a variety of ways to support the special needs of people in their final years.

The omnibus site provided by the Department of Health and Human Services is http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare/Public/Home.asp. This site provides a thorough selection of choices for locating eldercare services in your community. The site is multilingual and provides both online support and phone numbers that can be utilized.

A sponsored site with good information can be found at http://www.ec-online.net. It is sponsored by QuietCare, a security warning device for seniors living at home. Nevertheless, the site has a good collection of “how to” articles for both seniors and those family members who feel charged with guiding them through the lifestyle changes leading to eldercare.

An extremely well organized site that provides the same guidance and a library of other online resources is at http://www.aging-parents-and-elder-care.com. This site takes the caregiver from first steps right through facility selection and legal issues. Perhaps the most valuable portion of the site is a list of related online sites, broken out by category. Divisions include Assisted Living; Food and Nutrition; Legal Issues; Equipment and Personal Health Supplies; Financial Issues; and several others. For each of these categories the site provides a dozen or more major web sites as references. A few are commercial; more of them, however, appear to be sites put up by professional associations in the industry or non-profits that give unbiased recommendations on resources.

There is a National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (ORC) established and supported by the Federal Government. This organization is an excellent starting point for localized resources. You can click on a map on their web site and select a state where you’ll find listings for such offices as the State and Regional Ombudsmen, Office of Licensure (where you can check on Long Term Care facilities); Medicaid Fraud Control; and so forth. The site is located at: http://www.ltcombudsman.org/static_pages/help.cfm.

Ancillary issues facing our senior population today is what sort of long term care insurance is best for them, and the question of whether or not they should pursue home equity conversion, a “reverse mortgage,” to finance their final years. There are increasing numbers of online resources relating to both these areas.

One site that covers both issues and several other related matters - such as wills, trusts and powers of attorney; assistive technology and remote monitoring - is the National Care Planning Council’s Guide to Long Term Care Planning at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/eldercare.htm. The site includes 35 in-depth chapters totaling over 670 printable pages covering virtually all areas of long-term care planning. It also provides numerous lists of care providers, advisers and specialized services in four categories of care needs. For the role of Medicare in Long Term Care, go to the government site at http://www.medicare.gov/LongTermCare/Static/Home.asp.

Finally, the AARP provides some basic information on reverse mortgages at http://www.aarp.org/money/revmort/. HUD has a reverse mortgage program that is insured by the FHA and is outlined at http://www.hud.gov/buying/reverse.cfm. Reverse mortgages are expensive, and not without complications. The FHA insists that reverse mortgages on loans they’ve insured not be provided without a counseling session between an FHA or HUD professional and the homeowners. You can learn more about this program and other aspects of reverse mortgages at Fannie Mae’s site: http://www.fanniemae.com/homebuyers/findamortgage/reverse/index.jhtml.

Madison Lockwood is a customer relations associate for ApolloHosting.com. She brings years of experience as a small business consultant to helping prospective clients understand the ways in which a website may benefit them both personally and professionally. Apollo Hosting provides website hosting, ecommerce hosting, vps hosting, and web design services to a wide range of customers. Established in 1999, Apollo prides itself on the highest levels of customer support.