By Karen Courtney, Director of Programs, CareWell Services SW
During the Health Fair at the Hart-Doyle-Inouye Federal Center last month, I met many people who were challenged with caregiving for aging parents long-distance. Happily, I was able to share some excellent resources that you may find helpful as well!
Here are some websites to help you connect to programs close to your loved one.
Medicare insurance navigation help: shiphelp.org
State Health Insurance Information Programs (SHIP) are available in every state, often administered by local Area Agencies on Aging. In Michigan, our SHIP is called MMAP, the Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program, reachable at 800-803-7174. They are neutral resources for information on Medicare, Part D, Advantage Plans, Medigaps, and some state Medicaid programs which interact with Medicare.
Area Agencies on Aging: eldercare.acl.gov
Area Agencies on Aging (AAA’s) are funded by the federal Administration on Community Living, called ACL. They may serve one or more counties, and work to connect seniors and caregivers to local resources, services and educational programs to promote healthy aging and better caregiving. CareWell Services is the AAA for Barry and Calhoun Counties. You can visit USAging.org to learn more as well.
Medicare.gov
Not only is this site used by SHIP programs to explore and compare Medicare insurance options, it also has a neat “Nursing Home Compare” function in its “Find Providers” section. If you are seeking skilled nursing facility information, this is a strong starting point.
Still have questions? Call CareWell Services at (269) 441-0930, we are here to help!