Senior Citizens

•  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 
•  Medicare 
•  MetLife 
•  MetLife Mature Market Institute 
• MetLife's information and policy resource center on issues related to aging, retirement, long term care and mature market.
•  Social Security 
• Offers services online
• Offers services over the phone: Automated Telephone Services (800) 772-1213
• Apply for retirement benefits
• Apply for disability benefits
• Change address/phone number, if you receive benefits
• Replace Medicare card
• Apply for Medicare extra help
• Direct deposit
• Prepare yourself and loved ones for retirement
•  Administration on Aging 
•  Maryland Office of Health Care Quality 
•  Frederick County Department of Aging 
•  Maryland Department of Aging 
•  National Council on Aging 
•  National Institute of Aging 
•  National Senior Citizens Law Center 
•  The Center on Aging at the University of Hawaii at Manoa 

•  Complete Life series, five downloadable booklets
• Advance Care Planning: Making Choices Known
• Planning Ahead: Funeral and Memorial Services
• Preparing to say Good-bye: Care for the Dying
• When Death Occurs: What to Do When a Loved One Dies
• Help for the Bereaved: The Healing Journey
• Nursing Home Information
•  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-Nursing Home Compare information 

Caregiver 

•  AARP 
•  Planning Ahead: Caregiving 
• Alzheimer's Association Western Maryland Regional Office in Frederick
• (301) 696 0315
• 24-hour helpline: (800) 272 3900
•  Caregivers.org 
•  Children of Aging Parents 
• (800) 227 3900
•  Eldercare Locator Dept. of Health and Human Services 
•  Faith in Action 
•  Family Caregiving 101 
•  Family Caregiver Alliance's National Center on Caregiving 
• Long-Term Care
•  National Association of Insurance Commissions (NAIC): A Shopper's Guide to Long-term Care 
•  The Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program 
•  Medicare 
• (800) 633 4227
•  Medicare: Caregiving 
•  National Alliance for Caregiving 
•  National Association of Area Agencies on Aging 
•  National Council on Aging Benefits Check Up 
•  National Family Caregivers Association 
•  Social Security Administration 

Legal documents, healthcare directives, end-of-life planning & decisions 

•  Maryland Attorney General's Office: Access to forms: Advance Directives Information Sheet and the Advance Directives, A Guide to Maryland Law on Health Care Directives.
  (410) 576-7000 or (888) 734-0023
•  Advance Directive Forms valid in DC, MD, and VA 
•  Health Lawyers’ Public Information Series, A Guide to Legal Issues In Life-Limiting Conditions 
•  AARP End of Life Planning 
•  Moyers on Dying: A Financial Guide
•  Aging with Dignity: 5 Wishes 
• Source for Five Wishes information and document. 800.594.7137

• U.S. Administration on Aging
•  http://www.aoa.gov/index.aspx - (800) 677 1116
• Sponsors statewide legal hotlines for those ages 60 or older. Call to get the number for specific states. (800) 677 1116

• American Bar Association on Law and Aging
•  http://www.abanet.org/aging 
• Provides guides: Legal Guide for Older Americans and Law and Aging Resource Guide
•  Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning 

• AARP "Prepare to Care" Tool Kit
•  http://www.aarp.org/family/caregiving/ 

• AARP Resources of End of Life, Living Wills, Dying and Death
•  http://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/end/index.html 

• Strength for Caring
•  http://www.StrengthforCaring.com/ 
• Comprehensive website sponsored by Johnson & Johnson

• A Shopper's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance
•  http://www.naic.org/index_ltc_section.htm 
• From NAIC, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners - (816) 842 3600

• Guide to Retirement SourceBook and other resources
•  www.retirement-living.com 

• National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information
•  www.longtermcare.gov/ 

• End of Life, Wills, & Estate Planning AARP
•  http://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/legalInsurance/index.html 

Assisted Living 

• Frederick County Department of Aging
•  www.co.frederick.md.us/doa 

• Life Advice Program from MetLife
•  www.metlife.com 
• Pamphlets cover a range of topics from assessing if a nursing home is appropriate, to services covered, to payment and selection.

• Maryland Health Care Commission
•  www.mhcc.maryland.gov/consumerinfo/nhguide/default.aspx 
• Provides surveys of Maryland nursing homes.

• Nursing Home Grievance and Oversight Agencies
• Maryland Office of Health Care Quality has to license a care facility for it to exist.
• Local Departments of Aging should each have an ombudsman to assist.
• Office of the State Attorney General also can become involved.
• The Senior Victims Assistance Unit, in Frederick County, becomes involved in cases of abuse, etc.

Palliative Care 

•  GetPalliativeCare.org 
•  Hospice of Frederick County 
•  Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 
•  Palliative Care: Complete Care Everyone Deserves, National Alliance for Caregiving and FRIA (Friends and Relatives of Institutionalized Aged). (2003) 

Hospice 

• Growth House
•  www.growthhouse.org 
• Provides education, informative resources for end of life care.

• Hospice Association of America
•  www.nahc.org/HAA/ 
• Information on hospice trends, how to choose a hospice, publications, and helpful links.

• Hospice of Frederick County
•  www.hospiceoffrederickco.com 

• AARP Resources for End of Life Care
•  http://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/end/index.html 

Funerals 

• AARP: Funeral Planning
•  http://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/multimedia/SH_FuneralPlanning.html 
• Pre-need Funeral and Burial Agreements
•  http://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/multimedia/SH_FuneralPlanning.html 
• Funeral Consumer Alliance (FCA), a non-profit educational organization supporting
•  http://www.funerals.org/