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Community Resources
Just about every day we learn about new sources for information and services which would be of interest to our clients and community. We share some of these resources with you here, and hope that you find them helpful. Remember though that we have no control over any of these sites, and therefore are not responsible for the accuracy of their content. Check back for new additions.
| Social Security Administration | The official site for Social Security includes benefits planner and estimator, news, forms, applications, and “My Social Security” to manage your own benefits. See especially their online calculator tied to earnings records which allows you to experiment with “what if” scenarios to determine how much your retirement benefit will be at various ages: www.ssa.gov/estimator |
| Benefits for persons with disabilities | This section of the Social Security Administration website focuses particularly on SSI and SSDI benefits available for disabled persons of all ages. Includes a “Benefits Eligibility Screening Tool.” |
| National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare | National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare |
| Medicare | The official site for Medicare, includes information about Medicare and supplemental insurance coverage and costs, general resources, and tools for signing up and changing plans, and filing claims and appeals. Through this page, you can get to FAQs, resource centers, Medicare Handbook, nursing home comparison tools, etc. |
| Understanding Medicare | Sponsored by National Council on Aging, site includes assistance with enrolling in Medicare and choosing the best prescription drug plan based on individual needs |
| Center for Medicare Advocacy | The mission of this wonderful organization is to advance access to comprehensive Medicare coverage and quality health care. Excellent resource for all types of educational materials, as well as assistance with appeals of claim denials. See especially tool kits to challenge to“observation status” and “improvement standard |
| MassHealth | This site provides an overview of the MassHealth program, information for applicants and members, links to regulations, and application materials |
| MassHealth Publications and Forms | Links to the many MassHealth forms and handbooks. (Remember: we discourage you from taking on an application by yourself because the process is fraught with traps for the unwary. Let us help you access these important benefits.) |
| Financial Information Request Form | Banks are not allowed to charge a MassHealth applicant for researching and providing bank statements. This form is used to procure records free of charge. |
| US Department of Veteran’s Affairs | The official site of the VA contains information re health care, pension and disability benefits, forms & applications, and other resources See especially www.benefits.va.gov/pension/which includes information about the Aid & Attendance program |
| Publication | “2018 Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents & Survivors” |
| Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services | This official website of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services is chock full of information about benefits and services, employment and training, education, housing, health and well-being, cemeteries and honors, and a special section devoted to female veterans. |
| Benefits Applications | This local company will guide families start to finish through the VA application process |
| Veterans Outreach Centers | Non-profit organizations that receive state money to assist veterans and their families with a range of services |
| Veterans Health Library | Online health library that provides information and education about a wide range of medical and mental health conditions (not just for vets!) |
| Benefits CheckUp | A service of the National Council on the Aging, that helps seniors age 55 and older find out if they are eligible for help with their rent, utilities, health care, meals, taxes, prescription medicines, and more. |
| SHINE | This state health insurance assistance program provides free health insurance information, counseling and assistance to Massachusetts Medicare recipients and their families. SHINE counselors are especially wonderful in helping seniors choose the most appropriate supplemental and prescription drug plans. |
| Mass211 | Confidential hotline that connects callers to information about critical health and human services including government benefits and services, non-profit organizations, support groups, etc. |
| Aging Life Care Association | Formerly known as the National Association of Geriatric Care Managers, on this site, you can learn more about the help care managers can provide, and you can search for a care manager near you. |
| Family Caregiver Handbook: Finding Elder Care Resources in Massachusetts | A handbook prepared by the MIT Workplace Center to assist the families and friends of Massachusetts elders in finding information and accessing services. The handbook provides telephone numbers, locations, and web site addresses so that caregivers can find the most appropriate resources closest to their own community. |
| Caregiver Action Network | Inspiration, perspective and advice from/for family caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s, includes forums, videos, tips and tools. |
| Caregiver Homes | Providing caregivers the training, support, and financial assistance they need to care for loved ones at home. Available for Medicaid eligible consumers in need of 24 hour, live-in care, this program provides a non-taxable cash stipend for qualifying caregivers. |
| Are You OK? Bristol County Norfolk County Barnstable County Plymouth County | Free programs offered through the County Sheriff’s Offices in collaboration with local police departments and Councils on Aging, with daily free well-being check phone calls to seniors, people with disabilities, and shut-ins living at home. |
| For spouses | This organization’s site contains many resources for caregiving spouses, and hosts an in-person support group in the Greater Boston area. |
| For Caregiving Children | Book entitled They Are Your Parents Too. Helping siblings navigate the journey that is their parents’ aging. Book entitled Mom Always Liked You Best to facilitate sibling communication and consensus building |
| Food sharing | Simplifying meal coordination to support families coping with a new baby, sickness, injury, or death. Meal Train Take Them A Meal |
| Teepa Snow | Nationally reknowned dementia expert/trainer/therapist, whose website includes training videos to help families understand the profound changes wrought by this disease. Check our News & Events page for upcoming opportunities to hear her speak in person. See also Teepa’s YouTube channel with helpful videos |
| Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of MA | Includes a fabulous Resource Guide, and links to other local and national resources |
| Prevention of Falls | A conversation guide for caregivers and care recipients. |
| Mass Guardianship Association | Information and resources for individuals, family members and professionals re guardianship and conservatorship. Includes a glossary, handbook, newsletter, legislative updates, and breaking news |
| Books | Source for well regarded books by our elder law colleagues re Managing a Special Needs Trust, and Legal Planning for Special Needs in Massachusetts. |
| Resources and educational videos | The website of our California elder law attorney colleague Stephen Dale, this link includes educational materials and video tutorials about Special Needs Trusts and public benefits programs. Although some of the material is California-specific, much of the resources will be useful for families in Massachusetts. |
| Benefits for children with special needs | This pamphlet by the Social Security Administration introduces parents and caregivers of special needs children to the SSI and SSDI benefit programs. |
| Massachusetts Sibling Support Network | Supporting siblings of people with disabilities |
| ABLE Accounts | Resource materials and nationwide directory of ABLE Accounts |
| Massachusetts Assisted Living Association | This site teaches all about assisted living (including how to pay for it), and enables a consumer to search all Massachusetts assisted living facilities. Includes Resource Guide. |
| Nursing Home Information for Consumers | This site contains a guide to nursing home care, resources for choosing a nursing home, including a series of questions to ask on a site visit, and searchable reports on all Massachusetts nursing homes. |
| Nursing Home Compare | This section of the official Medicare website has all of the features contained in the state site above, as well as detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country. Also has a great tutorial about alternatives to nursing homes. |
| 2Sisters Senior Living Advisors | Local advisors helping families make informed decisions and transitions to assisted living and nursing homes. |
| American Bar Association | This link provides a treasure trove of resources for consumers and professionals on all aspects of health care planning, directives, capacity, etc. |
| Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts | Designed for consumers as well as professionals, this site contains a searchable list of hospice providers, publications, advance care planning tools, and resources for special populations including veterans. |
| DNR Orders | Understanding Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Orders |
| MOLST (Medical Order for Life Sustaining Treatment) orders | The MOLST is a standardized medical order form for use by clinicians caring for patients with serious advancing illnesses. The website explains how it works. See also this link to the MOLST form. |
| Comfort Care/Do Not Resuscitate orders | The Comfort Care/Do Not Resuscitate (CC/DNR) form is the only means for ambulance services, EMTs and paramedics to verify that a patient has a valid DNR. EMTs are required to resuscitate a patient unless they are quickly shown a properly executed CC/DNR form in which case they will provide only palliative care to the patient during transport. See this link to the form. |
| Consumer’s Toolkit for Health Care Advance Planning | See especially the Proxy Quiz which helps ensure the proxy and principal are on the same page. |
| Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care | Tools for facilitating advance healthcare planning and conversations |
| The Conversation Project | Specialized tool kits to help people talk about end of life wishes. |
| Honoring Choices | A consumer-oriented non-profit organization focused on the rights of every adult to direct their own health care choices |
Many resources are available through your local funeral homes, hospice providers, hospitals, and religious institutions. The following are unique finds. See also our Local Support Groups page.
| Bereavement Resource | A comprehensive website offering Jewish families assistance, coordination, and resources throughout the bereavement period. A personal shiva registry page enables families to quickly share funeral and shiva info with relatives, friends, colleagues and congregants. Includes info about shiva food deliveries (helps manage quantity!), list family’s preferred charities, post eulogies, read messages, resources about Jewish bereavement customs, etc. and a yearly yarhzeit reminder email. |
| Bereavement resource for people who have lost (or are facing the prospect of losing) a spouse | This community includes people of all ages, genders, and sexual orientation who are coping with the loss of a beloved partner. The mission of the community is to gently guide you through this painful period of grief, trial and transition into a life filled with renewed hope and promise. |
| Grieving.com Forum | Offering comprehensive, online support for grieving people, including online forums. |
| End With Care | An educational resource delivering information, support, forums, and searchable service provider directory for individuals, their loved ones, and caregivers confronted with end-of-life challenges. |
| The Journey | Table For One: Essays from a Widow’s Journey: |
| Registry of Deeds | Bristol County - Northern District Bristol County - Fall River District Bristol County - New Bedford District Norfolk County Plymouth County |
| Maximizing the equity in your home | Home Equity Advisor This site through the National Council on Aging provides information and tools to help you use and protect your home’s equity Reverse Mortgage Loans This site teaches about reverse mortgages and provides links to approved lenders in Massachusetts. Home Modification Loan Program The state-funded Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP) provides loans to make modifications to the primary, permanent residence of elders, adults with disabilities, and families with children with disabilities so that the beneficiary can remain at home. |
| Affordable housing | Mass Access Housing Registry: a housing database that helps people find affordable, accessible housing in Massachusetts |
| Alzheimer’s Disease | Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s Association official site National Institute on Aging Alzheimer’s Disease Education & Referral Center Alzheimer’s Partnerships in Massachusetts Links to each of the Alzheimer’s Partnerships in Massachusetts. Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center Cutting edge Alzheimer’s research, recruitment for research studies, community and professional education about aging and dementia. Alzheimer’s Association Resources for Kids and Teens: Resources including books, activities, and age-appropriate science. ALZ Alzheimer’s Association new lifestyle magazine, focused on prevention through healthy lifestyle. |
| Cancer | American Cancer Society American Cancer Society official site Cancer Care Cancer Care: providing counseling, support groups, education, publications, and financial assistance for patients and caregivers facing cancer treatment American Institute for Cancer Research Focus is on reducing risk of cancer through good health, diet, and exercise, as well as support for those already dealing with the disease. Great quarterly newsletters and supplemental publications. |
| UMass Gerontology Center | UMass Gerontology Center: a multi-disciplinary center dedicated to research and programs that provide education on the aging process and promote healthy, active living |
| The Arc of Bristol County | Offering support and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
| HMEA | Serving children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities |
| The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration | Promotes and funds research; provides advocacy, information, education and support for patients, families, and health care professionals |
| American Parkinson’s Disease Association | |
| ALS Association | |
| American Diabetes Association | Information about all types of diabetes, resources for living with the disease, free educational programs and meal planning resources |
| Huntington’s Disease Society of America | |
| National Alliance on Mental Illness (Massachusetts) | |
| Multiple Sclerosis Society | |
| American Heart Association | Stroke Connection: A digital monthly newsletter put together by the American Heart and American Stroke Associations |
| American Lung Association | |
| Rare New England | Coordinating resources for patients and families with rare and complex diseases. |
| New Hope | Domestic abuse and sexual assault victim assistance services |
| Enhancing independent living | Gold Violin Features “gadgets for independent living” Independent living offers products for hard of hearing, visually impaired, mobility challenged, etc Insight Promoting independence and opportunities for people with vision loss Southeast Center for Independent Living Offering advocacy, information and referrals, peer counseling, skills training, and other programs for disabled individuals and their families |
| Deaf, Inc. | Provides deaf and hard of hearing with free independent living services and related programs, as well as assistance with purchase of assistive technology. For more info: clima@deafinconline.org. |
| Senior driving | Senior Driving - AAA Helping seniors drive safer and longer MASS RMV A long list of links for “mature drivers” National Institutes of Health Website for Older Drivers Online resource with information about how aging affects driving, safety tips, regulations that affect older drivers, alternative means of transportation, and how to have “the talk” Driving and Dementia toolkit:.A Canadian publication providing general information for people with dementia and their family members, including red flags, assessment tools, sample documents, and a helpful resource guide. |
| Food insecurity | Hebron Food Pantry Located at 11 Sanford Street, Attleboro, this is the only food pantry in the state dedicated to seniors (Tuesdays 10 AM – 12 PM) and working persons (Thursdays 5 PM – 8 PM) North Attleboro Food Pantries In addition to being Attleboro/North Attleboro specific, this page links to all food pantries in the Commonwealth. Commodities Supplemental Food Program for low income elderly - contact Attleboro COA at 508-203-1900 Greater Boston Food Bank More than 500 recipes featuring everyday ingredients found in most kitchens and commonly distributed by the Food Bank. |
| Poverty | South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS) Provides free civil legal services to low income and elderly residents ages 60+ of Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, and Plymouth Counties, and the towns of Avon and Stoughton in Norfolk County |
| Suicide Prevention | National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-TALK (8255) 24 hour, toll free, confidential hotline for anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention Alliance of suicide prevention advocates. Resources and info. Crisis Text Line Free, 24/7 support for anyone in crisis anywhere in the US Text 741741 to talk to trained counselor The Trevor Helpline Provides free civil legal services to low income and elderly residents ages 60+ of Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, and Plymouth Counties, and the towns of Avon and Stoughton in Norfolk County South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS) 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386) Crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline focused on LGBTQ youth |
| American Association of Retired Persons | |
| National Council on Aging | |
| Administration on Aging | |
| Executive Office of Elder Affairs | |
| Executive Office of Health & Human services | |
| Massachusetts Referral Service | A joint project of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs and the Mass Home Care Association, this online information and referral services offers tools to help seniors locate services by category or by region. |
| Access Jewish RI | An Information & Referral website that facilitates access to the multitude of services and resources provided by the Jewish community and other private and government agencies in greater RI. Provides personalized phone assistance as well as online access to their database. |
| National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys | |
| MassChapter of NAELA | |
| Massachusetts Aging Services Access Points | See especially for our service area: Bristol Elder Services HESSCO Coastline Elder Services |
| Councils on Aging | Attleboro North Attleboro Mansfield Foxboro Sharon Easton Plainville Norton Wrentham |
| LGBT Aging | LGBT Aging Project A non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older adults have equal access to the life-prolonging benefits, protections, services and institutions that their heterosexual neighbors take for granted. See especially their “Resources” page which has many links to other websites of interest forLGBT seniors, caregivers, and families. National Resource Center on LGBT Aging This organization provides training, technical assistance, and educational resources to aging providers, LGBT organizations and LGBT older adults. Website includes links to resources in Massachusetts. |
| Elder Dental Program | A community-based, nonprofit program serving low income seniors age 60+ who live in the service area, do not have dental insurance, and who meet financial need criteria |
| Medication Management | Mass College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences Pharmacy Outreach Program, staffed by case managers, licensed pharmacists, and students, provides free comprehensive review of medications and prescription drug coverage |
| Volunteering Opportunities | Volunteering Opportunities Have some free time? Interested in sharing your talents and passion with the community? With these sites you can search by zip code for in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities. United We Serve Create The Good Volunteer Match |
| Senior Planet | Aging with technology, style, and attitude! Includes Guides to Life covering health, housing, work, money, relationships, sex, fitness, technology, with almost daily blog posts |
| Pets | Angelcat Haven Seniors for Seniors Program. Places senior cats with senior citizens to provide companionship for both the pet and the new owner |
| Community Services creating jobs for disabled community members | Mansfield Shredding Service. Non-profit walk in and pick up shredding services for home and office Helping Hands Florist. Full service florist shop at affordable prices |
| Downsizing | newlife Home Refurnishing Non-profit providing free household items to people setting up new homes. Welcomes donations of household furniture and stuff |
| Preserving Family History | Putting your family stories into writing to preserve for future generations. |
| Long Term Care Insurance | American Association for Long Term Care Insurance Resource with videos, fact sheets, links, info for consumers and professionals about long term care planning |
| Grandparenting | Miles Away Grandparenting Tools and tips to nurture strong relationships with your far away grandchildren. |
News & Upcoming Events
THE TIMES THEY ARE A’CHANGIN’:
TSLF is Winding Down to Retirement
When we started our elder law practice in 1999, 60s sounded old(ish) and far away from our own ages. We accepted without question the notion that someone 62+ was an "elder" under the definitions of government assistance programs. Fast forward a bunch of years and now that we are in our 60s ourselves, 60 doesn’t seem that old really at all. What do you mean we are now "elders" ourselves??!!! As we have gotten older, we have experienced with our own parents and families many of the challenges that we have counseled our clients about, and have juggled our caregiving...