Franklin County Home Care Corporation helping elders and caregivers live better lives

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What's New?

• Walk for Meals on Wheels
• Donate to help frail elders have a hot noontime meal.
• Menus
• Calendar of Events
• Thanks to Donors
• Advocate! Contact Legislators
• Job Openings at FCHCC

New Salem Luncheon Club turns 15 on February 28, 2012. Pictured here are members and volunteers. (L to R seated)Hendra Reidy, Connie Blakely and Ruth Layton. Standing (L to R) are Edith Watson, Amy Fagin, Judy Jewett and Ruth O’Laughlin.

Resources & Links

Jump to:

• National Resources
• Massachusetts State Resources
• Local Western Massachusetts Resources
• Healthy Aging
• Options Program
• Cable TV
• Caregiver Resources
• Embrace Your Future—Long Term Care Planning
• Emergency Preparedness
• Energy & Heating
• Estate Planning and Retirement
• Food
• Gambling & Seniors
• Información en Español
• Legal Help for Elders
• LGBT Resources
• Medication Safety at Home
• North Quabbin Help & Support
• Older Drivers
• Unemployment Assistance
• Veterans' Resources
• Other Resources

 

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National Resources (Updated July 2011)

• US Administration on Aging
• Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116
• Medicare
• National Association of Area Agencies on Aging: 1-202-872-0888
• Alzheimer's Association
• National Association of Elder Law Attorneys
• National Resource Center on Nutrition
• National Council on Aging

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Massachusetts State Resources (Updated July 2011)

• Massachusetts Assisted Living
• MassHomeCare: 1-781-272-7177
• 1-800-AGE-INFO: Resources for Massachusetts Elders
• MA Elder Affairs Office: 1-800-AGE-INFO
• Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Attorney General's Office
• MA Bar Association
• State Energy and Food Support - Updated October 2009
• New England Index (NEI) for persons with disabilities
• SNAP Application (English)
• SNAP Application (Spanish)
• SNAP Application (Portuguese)
• Medicaid/MassHealth Telephone Access(English)
• Medicaid/MassHealth Telephone Access(Spanish)
• 24/7 telephone access to your MassHealth Application
• Circuit Breaker Tax Credit
• Resources of MA Senior Citizens (PDF)

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Local Western Massachusetts Resources (Updated July 2011)

• Transportation Resources: Local Numbers
• Your Council on Aging/Senior Center
• Food Pantries
• Free Hot Home-Delivered Weekend Meals
• For Caregivers
• Help with Local Housing
• Help with Hoarding
• Home Modification Loan Program for Elders and Persons with Disabilities
• Affordable Phone Service (PDF)
• Free Community Meals in Greenfield/Turners Falls

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Caregiver Resources (Updated July 2011)

• For Caregivers
• Alzheimer's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery (2.3 MB PDF)
• Lotsa Helping Hands - private online calendar system for caregivers of people affected by Alzheimer's disease.
• What is Elder Abuse? (Word document)
• How to Answer Tough Questions about Elder Abuse (Word document)
• The Calm Before the Storm: Family Conversations about Disaster Planning, Caregiving, Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia (PDF)
• At the Crossroads: Family Conversations about Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia & Driving (PDF)
• We need to talk....Family Conversations with Older Drivers (PDF)
• The Caregivers Library website has a great array of good resources.  In case you are not familiar with it, you can check it out. The following page has a variety of excellent checklists for various resources.
• North Quabbin Adult Day Health Caregiver Support Group. Meets 2nd Wed each month from 3-4 pm. Call Louise Smith at 978-248-9470.
• Henry Haywood Hospital Support Group. Meets 4th Wed. each month from 3-4 pm. Call Ann Fenlason at 978-630-6349.
• Comprehensive Diagnostic Dementia Evaluations: Baystate Medical Center, 330 Main St., Springfield, MA. Complete dementia evaluations. Most insurance plans are accepted. Can be self-referred and/or referred by medical provider. Call 413-794-5555
• Cognitive Impairment & Money Management
• From the Frontlines of Alzheimer’s
• The National Alzheimer’s Project Act
• Do Not Call: www.donotcall.gov   888-282-1222 or 866-231-2255

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Emergency Preparedness (Updated July 2011)

• 911 Disability Indicator Forms
• Notice of Life Sustaining Equipment
• Personal Emergency Action Planner (PDF)
• Power Outage Toolkit (PDF)
• It Could Happen to Me: Family Conversations about Disaster Planning (PDF)
• The Calm Before the Storm: Family Conversations about Disaster Planning, Caregiving, Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia (PDF)
• Fire Sense: A Smart Way to Prevent, Detect and Escape Home Fires (PDF)
• Let's Make a Plan(PDF)
• Emergency Preparedness
• Western MA Emergency Info

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Energy & Heating (Updated July 2011)

• 45 Ways to Use Energy Wisely
• State Energy Resources
• Consumer's Home Repair Guide

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Estate Planning and Retirement(Updated July 2011)

• Supplemental Needs Trusts (192K PDF)
• The Advantage of Thinking Ahead (240K PDF)
• Trusts & Special Needs Trusts (232K PDF)
• FDIC Consumer News Winter 2010-2011: Organize and Simplify Your Financial Life. Find it at www.fdic.gov/consumernews or call for your copy: 1-877-275-3342
• Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples
• Life Estate Deeds

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Food (Updated July 2011)

• State Food Resources
• Food Pantries
• Franklin County Community Meals
• Franklin County Food Resources (1.2 MB PDF)
• Free Hot Home Delivered Weekend Meals
• The Food Bank Brown Bag Eligibility Guidelines (215K PDF)
• The Food Bank Brown Bag Registration Form (308K Microsoft Publisher file)
• HHS and USDA Unveil New Food Safety Consumer Web Site at www.foodsafety.gov - New site features the latest food safety and recall information from across the government
• SNAP Info English
• SNAP info en Español
• SNAP Guidelines in English
• SNAP Guidelines in en Español
• How to use the Nutrition Label Information
• Free Weekend Meals/Turners Falls & Greenfield

 

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Gambling & Seniors (Updated July 2011)

Gambling Resources

• Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling English 1-800-426-1234 Spanish: 1-857-383-3558 Chinese: 1-857-383-3557 TTY: 1-617-426-1855 www.masscompulsivegambling.org
• Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline 1-800-327-5050 TTY: 1-617-536-5872 www.helpline-online.com
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Healthy Aging 1-617-624-5070 TTY: 1-617-624-5992 www.mass.gov/dph and search on “Office of Healthy Aging”
• Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs 1-800-243-4636 TDD/TTY: 1-800-872-0166 www.mass.gov/eohhs
• Problem Gambling Among Older Adults (PDF) www.maclearinghouse.com
• Kit Clark Senior Services Addiction assessment and counseling 1-617-825-5000 Email: jfrancis@kitclark.org
• Gambler’s Anonymous 1-213-386-8789 www.gamblersanonymous.org
• Bettors Anonymous 1-978-988-1777 www.bettorsanonymous.org
• Gam-Anon For family and friends of problem gamblers 1-781-352-2571 www.gam-anon.org
• Prevention Tools for Older Adults www.nati.org/prevention_tools/olderadults.aspx

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Información en Español (Updated July 2011)

• Hombres: Sigan sanos despues de los 50 (116K PDF)
• Mujeres: Sigan sanas despues de los 50 (116K PDF)
• Su guia para el tratamiento con Coumadin/Warfarina (372K PDF)
• Health Info in Many Languages
• Como usar la etiqueta de informacion nutritional
• Ayuda de Sguros de Salud/Health Insurance Help

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LGBT Resources (Updated July 2011)

• Lifelines: Documents to Protect You and Your Family (PDF)
• Outing Age: Public Policy Issues Affecting Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (PDF)
• Planning With Purpose: Legal Basics for LGBT Elders (PDF)
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
• Senior gay Men Drop In at Northampton Senior Center Fridays from 1-3 PM. More info at 413-587-1228 or at http://northamptonseniors.com/calendar.pdf
• Franklin Hampshire PFLAG chapter, Jane Harris, President meets in Ashfield, MA. More info at 413-625-6636 or jcmalinski48@gmail.com.
• Straight Spouse Network and Franklin County PFLAG: 413-625-6636 or jcmalinski48@gmail.com
• PFLAG Franklin-Hampshire Chapter (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbian and Gays) is now starting a monthly Northampton meeting. We offer welcoming support, education and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, their families, friends and allies. Our new group will be on the 2nd Tuesday of each month starting on Tuesday, July 12th, 7:00 at the conference room of Highland Valley Elder Services in the Cutlery Building, 320 Riverside Dr. Northampton Mass. Helpline 413 625-6636 e-mail jcmalinski48@gmail.com
• National Resource Center on LGBT Aging Adds Resource Tools on Legal Support and Financial Planning: Resources including an interactive state-by-state map designed to direct LGBT older adults to legal resources specific to the state they live in; informative articles on the legal documents every LGBT older adult should have, such as wills, advance directives, financial power of attorney, and more; videos that clearly illustrate the legal and financial issues unique to LGBT older adults; publications to help LGBT elders get a jumpstart on legal and financial planning; and various multimedia resources explaining Social Security and its importance to LGBT older people. Click here for more information
• Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples
• LGBT Aging Project: A coalition of eldercare professionals and citizens working for the rights of LGBT elders. www.lgbtagingproject.com
• SAGE Western MA: Working to improve services and programs for aging LGBT community members. www.sagewm.org

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Medication Safety at Home

• Make Notes and Take Notes at the Doctor's Office
• Helping Your Independent Older Parents Use Medicines Safely
• Smart Rx Disposal
• Safe Medication
• 10 Steps for Success: Managing Your Medicines
• Medication Use Safety Training for Seniors

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Older Drivers (Updated July 2011)

• It's Time to Change the Older Driver Conversation: New Research from MIT AgeLab and The Hartford Helps Drivers Keep the Keys As They Age (Word document)
• Your Road Ahead: A Guide to Comprehensive Driving Evaluations (PDF)
• At the Crossroads: Family Conversations about Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia & Driving (PDF)
• We need to talk....Family Conversations with Older Drivers (PDF)
• Local Resources for Older Driver Evaluations
• DriveSharp
• Refresher Info
• AARP Driver Safety Program Training
• AAA Roadwise Review

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Unemployment Assistance (Updated July 2011)

• Primer
• Food Stamps

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Veterans' Resources (Updated July 2011)

• Veterans Independence Plus Program
• Resources for Veterans and their Widow(er)s and Dependents
• Federal Benefits for Veterans (PDF)
• MA Veterans Laws & Benefits - Updated March 2010
• Veterans Patient Guide
• Coaching into Care

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Embrace Your Future—Long Term Care Planning (Updated July 2011)

• Embrace Your Future Planning Guide (1.2MB PDF)
• Embrace Your Future Resources (PDF)
• Embrace Your Future Trifold Brochure (PDF)
• Long Term Care Fact Sheet (DOC)
• Long Term Care Planning Quiz (DOC)

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Healthy Aging (Updated July 2011)

• www.healthyliving4me.org
• Health Info in Many Languages
• Administration on Aging Newsletter. Free! Many great topics for elders, caregivers and persons with disabilities.
• Using Home Oxygen Safely (PDF)
• Hear Now: Assistance for those without resources who are in need of hearing aids 
• Discharge Checklist/Russian Language
• Leaving the Hospital
• Managing Your Medications (PDF)
• Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide, from the National Institute on Aging (PDF)
• Walking Maps
• Back to Healthy Aging Home Page

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Other Resources (Updated July 2011)

• Staying Connected
• Homestead Forms
• Free Library Services/Delivery for the Homebound
• Funeral Resources: The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Western Massachusetts, PO Box 994, Greenfield, MA 01301-0994, 413-774-2320. www.funeralconsumerswmass.org. Info on consumers rights and options, funeral home price survey, support and advocacy.
• Eventide Hospice Choir. Read more at www.eventidesingers.com
• Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit
• Alzheimer's Resources Online
• Alzheimer's Facts & Figures 2011
• Elder Abuse Awareness Quiz
• July 2010 Restraints
• Decision Tree for Clients in bed with rails
• July 2010 Guide to Bed Safety
• Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
• Hospice of Franklin County
• Highland Valley Elder Services
• Franklin Regional Council of Governments for Franklin County, MA
• Stavros Center for Independent Living/Disabilities Advocacy
• Ashfield Medical Equipment Bank
• Native American Resources
• Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library
• Support for Grandparents Raising Children
• Older Americans Act Reauthorization
• Basic Banking for Massachusetts helps those with modest means establish banking relationships.
• Mass 2-1-1 Access to statewide health and human services
• MassMututal LifeBridge. A free life insurance program from Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company. Click on the link and search “LifeBridge” or call 1-800-272-2216
• Homeowner Options for Massachusetts Eldersor call 1-800-553-5337. Helps conserve and protect the equity of low/moderate income homeowners so they can age in place.
• Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) 1-800-224-5124. Short term help to those in need of shelter to avoid homelessneess
• Getting Off Mailing Lists
• Fraud Prevention (PDF)
• Do Not Call: www.donotcall.gov   888-282-1222 or 866-231-2255

 

Cable TV (Updated July 2011)

• Athol-Orange Community Television

North Quabbin Help & Support (Updated July 2011)

• North Quabbin Community Coalition

Legal Help for Elders (Updated July 2011)

Call Community Legal Aid at 413-774-3747 or 1-800-639-1109 Monday through Friday between 9 am and 5 pm OR call Senior Helpline at 1-866-778-0939 (press 1 at the prompt because you live in Western MA) Monday through Friday between 9 am and 5 pm. An intake specialist will assist you at either phone number.

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