Recommended Aging Organizations/Services
The AISC would like to offer the following tips to seniors seeking Aging services. This information is organized into 2 sections – General Information and Recommended websites, and NCRO Aging Seminar/Webinar videos/handouts.
General Information
This section discusses where seniors can get reputable aging information, and gives tips on these sources.
- Non-profits– Aging service providers can be for-profit companies or non-profit. In general, the non-profits may offer lower cost services.
- Hospice Care– Hospice started out as mostly non-profits. But when Medicare began to reimburse for hospice services, most larger hospitals offered Hospice services of their own. The AISC has offered webinars with two Michigan based non-profit organizations – Hospice of Michigan/Arbor Hospice and Angela Hospice of Livonia. If you are not in the SE Michigan area, the AISC suggests non-profits be contacted first.
- The Area Agency on Aging and local Senior Centers– There are Area Agency on Aging on the national, state, and regional levels. These groups lobby for senior friendly policies and often offer aging services at a local level. If you have a Senior Center in your community, check out its services. In SE Michigan, there are three Area Agencies on Aging.
- Medicare– The Federal government’s Medicare website provides a wealth of healthcare information that can be trusted. This site provides ratings of healthcare providers and drug plans
- Senior Organizations– AARP, etc. Many senior organizations provide excellent material to retirees. However, some of these groups receive funding from advertisers, and seniors need to be careful at these sites. AARP, for example, endorses a wide range of senior insurance and commercial products.
- Disease Focused Organizations– Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, Heart Associations, etc. provide information which is usually trustworthy.
- State Health Insurance Programs, SHIP– These organizations are federally funded and provide trusted information.
- Universities– Some universities with medical programs offer medical education and advice to the public.
- Major Hospitals– Hospitals compete with one another to provide medical care. Many hospitals, however, provide resume and credential data for their staff and facilities that is helpful in educating seniors and assisting in selecting providers.
Recommended Websites:
Below are links to several websites, which the AISC has found to be helpful.
Michigan Non-profit Hospices:
- Angela Hospice: https://angelahospice.org/
- Hospice of Michigan: https://www.hom.org/
- Wayne State University – Institute of Gerontology: https://iog.wayne.edu/
- Resource for seniors and aging populations. Also, for health professionals seeking continuing certification credits
- Website below, focuses on the protection of financial assets: https://www.olderadultnestegg.com/
- Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org/
Area Agencies on Aging:
Detroit Area Agency on Aging:
- 1-A: https://www.detroitseniorsolution.org/
Service Area: Cities – Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse, Pointe Shores, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Harper Woods
Area Agency on Aging - 1-B: https://aaa1b.org/
Serving Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair and Washtenaw counties The Senior Alliance, Inc. - 1-C: https://thesenioralliance.org Service Area: Wayne County except the cities served by 1-A.
- Presbyterian Villages of Michigan – Assisted Living: https://www.pvm.org/
The AISC is investigating SHIP (State Health Insurance Programs), Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and other sites for possible future inclusion to this list
My Journey With Sumi
An inspirational journal of loving caregiving:
KC Mehta is a Chrysler retiree. KC is in the 9th year of taking care of his wife, Sumi, at their Michigan home. In 2013, at age 59, Sumi was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. KC and Sumi have been married for 47 years.
- KC has written about his experience, sharing his thoughts and deep feelings. He hopes these writings will increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and help others find solace.
- KC’s writings are on a website called My Journey With Sumi at: https://myjourneywithsumi.com
The website is easy to navigate.
There are 5 sections.
- Our Journey: It has all KC’s essays. They are in the reverse chronological order. The latest is first.
- Interviews: KC’s written interviews in the media, or on the radio or podcast. The latest is first.
- Resources: Review of the books relating to Alzheimer’s disease.
- Self-Care: What KC does for his self-care and the art projects.
- KC’s Story: KC is planning write more in this section about their lives prior to Sumi’s diagnosis in 2013.
Please feel free to share with others. KC’s hope is that by sharing globally to a wider audience, someone, somewhere may find solace and inspiration.
Are you a senior needing advise or support on issues you face while aging, like finding help services, coping with grief, etc.? Or are you a senior who is willing to be trained to help other seniors?
Area Aging 1B has a free Caregiver Coaching program which matches people who are caring for an aging or disabled loved one with a compassionate, trained volunteer who will work with them one-on-one. The needs of family caregivers can be very different, so the program focuses on flexibility and support. It’s built around you.
Coaches will help you identify needs and obstacles, explore and select options, and offer encouragement. Depending on your needs, the coaches can be guides, sounding boards, researchers, cheerleaders, encouragers, calmer-downers or lifter-uppers. The volunteers strive to build a safe and supportive environment where they walk beside you on your care giving journey.
The program is available to family caregivers who either reside in the six-county southeast Michigan service region (Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair and Washtenaw counties) or care for a family member who resides in this service region. If you need help in some other region, AA 1B will try to refer you to programs in your area.
Ready to Get Started? Visit micaregivercoach.org.
EVENT ON AGING
Are you a senior needing advise or support on issues you face while aging, like finding help services, coping with grief, etc.? Or are you a senior who is willing to be trained to help other seniors?
More About Aging
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