WEB SITES TO HELP OUR CLIENTS

These are a few web sites that our clients can use. If you have any additional sites that others can also use, please let us know. While this information is meant to be helpful, this listing is not an endorsement of the views, opinions or advice offered by any of these sights. Also, while these sites may offer helpful information, this is no substitute for individual legal advice from an attorney. Providing these summaries and links is not legal advice.

Legal Web Sites

Generic Drugs & Costs. FDA’s Orange Book, www.fda.gov/cder/ob/ is updated monthly and lists brand-name drugs and their generic equivalents. To find a drug by brand name click on “Search by Proprietary Name”. The FDA approved generic drug will have AB in the second column. Drugs listed by category and names “best buys” for consumers go to www.crbestbuydrugs.com. You can compare prices at www.DestinationRx.com or www.PharmacyChecker.com.

Veterans Aid and Attendance Council (VAAC). VAAC is an Association of Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities and Personal Healthcare providers working together to attain the best healthcare for our Veterans. The VAAP missions is to educate and make Veterans and their healthcare providers aware of the Aid and Attendance benefits afforded Veterans under the Improved Pension Benefits of the Veteran’s Health Administrations. www.veteransaid.org/

Scams. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has compiled a list of some of the most common threats facing seniors today. This would apply to all states. The “Senior Citizen Protection Manual” includes “red flags” and suggested protections. This contains some good, common-sense advice, and points out some of the areas where seniors, especially, might be vulnerable.  http://www.azag/gov:80/seniors/spm.html

Long Term Care. The National Care Planning Council and those providers affiliated with them are dedicated to helping the American public plan for long term care. This site is the most comprehensive resource for long term care planning available anywhere. There are may articles to print for your personal use. http://www.longtermcarelink.net/index.html

The Law and You in Illinois. This site, maintained by the Illinois Bar Association, has a number of pamphlets that give you an introduction to Illinois law.
http://www.illinoislawyerfinder.com/publicinfo/home.html

Legal Information Institute. Need an introduction to other areas of the law? Use the "Law About…" button for various topics such as trademarks, copyright and more.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/

Prairie State Legal Services. This helpful sight offers an introduction to many areas of the law. http://www.pslegal.org/

ElderLaw Answers offers many helpful articles and information.
http://www.elderlawanswers.com/

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others who work with older clients and their families. Established in 1987, the Academy provides a resource of information, education, networking and assistance to those who deal with the many specialized issues involved with legal services to the elderly and people with special needs. http://www.naela.org/

SharingLaw.Net.  This will link you to other sites for the Elderly and Disabled.  http://www.sharinglaw.net/law/index.htm

Free Help for Seniors

• Senior Citizen Driver’s License Information: www.thehartford.com/talkwitholderdrivers click on "brochure".

• Retirement Planning: www.troweprice.com click on "Individual Investors" and then "Investment Planning and Tools-Retirement Planning" or call 800-638-5660.

• Obtain a free copy of Guide to Medicare’s Preventive Services: www.medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.

• Obtain a free copy of A Shopper’s Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance: www.naic.org or call 816-783-8300 or fax 816-460-7593.

• Social Security Booklets: How Work Affects Your Benefits (which explains possible reductions in benefits based on your earnings) Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number (designed to help victims of this fast growing crime) What Every Woman Should Know (which addresses widow’s benefits, divorce and remarriage, among other topics). www.ssa.gov/about.htm or call 800-772-1213

• Talk about legal, financial and long-term care issues: www.metlife.com click on "Employment" and "Mature MarketInstitute" or call 203-221-6580.

• Senior Benefit Check Up; Sponsored by the National Council on Aging. Go to www.benefitscheckup.org for a review of benefits that may be available for seniors. This site is supposed to be confidential. Requests age, income and ZIP; it then lists programs that you may be eligible for. 8/15/01 per ISBA email newsletter

• Access America for seniors. This provides primarily information on government programs on Health, Consumer Protections, Employment & Volunteer Activities, Seniors and Computers, Tax Assistance, Travel & Leisure, and Education & Training. Maintained by the social security association. www.seniors.gov

• Senior Citizen Caregivers. Support group for caregivers www.caregiver.com. Nonprofit Center for Family Caregivers www.familycaregivers.org

• AARP This well known organization offers information and many services for seniors. http://www.aarp.org

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ 

   

• Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc. http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/ 

   

• Medicare Rights Center http://www.medicarerights.org/ 

   

• Center for Medicare Education http://www.medicareed.org/ 

General Legal Issues

Are you the victim of a violent crime? Need to get information from your local government? Let the Freedom of Information Act help with you with access. Are you a victim of consumer fraud? Has your home repair contractor given you the required notices and written contracts? The Illinois Attorney General can help you with these problems and more. http://www.ag.state.il.us/ Also, the Illinois Secretary of State has applications for compensation from the Illinois Crime Victims Compensation Act. It also has information that may be helpful for victims of sexual assault or domestic violence.
http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/court_of_claims/crime_victims.html

Illinois Department on Aging. This site gives information about many programs for senior citizens including Home Health Care, Elder Abuse and Neglect, and the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program to protect those in nursing homes.
http://www.state.il.us/aging/default.htm

Medicaid, Including Payment for Nursing Homes. The Illinois Department of Public Aid is now a part of the Illinois Department of Human Services. This web site has the manuals that explain in detail the rules governing Medicaid eligibility. A trained eye is necessary to help you protect all of the assets allowed under the law.
http://www.state.il.us/agency/dhs/

Circuit Breaker, Now Illinois Cares Rx. This program helps low income seniors pay their prescriptions. This site will explain the program and provide the forms. http://www.illinoiscaresrx.com Illinois Cares Rx offers many prescription and drug benefits to single persons whose income is less than $21,218 per year and married couples whose income is less than $28,480 per year. You can qualify for help with your prescriptions if you meet the income test even if you have money in savings and investments.

Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Wills. The Illinois Department of Public Health has the forms that you can download and complete yourself. Property Powers of Attorney (also known as Durable Powers of Attorney) should only be completed with the advice of an attorney. A lawyer can advise you whether language should be added or deleted to protect your interests. The health care power of attorney and a living will can be found at the IDPH web site.
http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/books/advin.htm

Nursing Homes. Placing a loved one in a nursing home is never easy. The Illinois Department of Public Health regulates nursing homes. Check out the IDPH web site for a list of rules governing nursing homes and complaints that have been filed against nursing homes and their personnel. The site will also give you guidance on selecting nursing homes. http://www.idph.state.il.us/healthca/nursinghometestjava.htm

Predatory Lending. Homeowners are constantly encouraged to put up their home as collateral for loans that will "save you money". Loans obtained through mortgage brokers and sometimes loans through banks will have very high fees. These fees will often make the loan much more expensive than you realize. This site contains frequently asked questions about predatory lending. http://www.idfpr.com/FAQ/BRE/toggleBREpredlending.asp

Drivers License Renewal. The Illinois Rules of the Road Review Course is designed to give drivers - especially senior citizens and persons with disabilities - the knowledge and confidence needed to renew or obtain a driver's license. The review course combines an explanation of the driving exam with a practice written exam. To find out if this free course is available in your area, please call 217-782-8893. The web site link is http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/services/services_for_seniors/rules_of_the_road_review
_course/home.html

Madison County, Illinois. Get information to contact your County officials. For example, if you are a senior citizen, you can contact the Supervisor of Assessments to reduce your real estate taxes with a senior citizen exemption (in Madison County this is called a homestead exemption) or a senior citizen freeze exemption. You can also contact the County for help with recycling. Use the real estate look up to see the value of your real estate, the assessed value, the date of the most recent deeds to the real estate and even a picture of your house from the air. http://www.co.madison.il.us

Business and the Environment. Individuals and Businesses in Illinois are affected each day by the policies of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The IEPA can offer information on Clean Water, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks, Brownfield Cleanup and Redevelopment and more.
http://www.epa.state.il.us

Help for Persons with Disabilities

Children and Disabilities. The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) is an independent, nonprofit, §501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization of attorneys, advocates and parents, whose primary mission is to secure educational services for children with disabilities. Find out more at their website at http://www.copaa.org

Children with Disabilities. The Family Matters Parent Training and Information Center provides information: http://www.fmptic.org/

AARP Disability Websites. For Grandparents with special needs children: www.aarp.org/families/grandparents/focus_child/a2004-12-20-grandparents-special-needs.html. Check out resources you may qualify for in your community: www.benefitscheckup.org.

Equip for Equality: www.equipforequality.org. This is an organization that provides help to disabled persons in Illinois.

Protection & Advocacy: www.pai-ca.org.  Although this organization is located in California, it has helpful information for people with disabilities.  This organization is similar to Equip for Equality which is located in Illinois.