Senior Citizen's Handbook

When I visited my library the other day, I came across the Senior Citizen's Handbook: Laws and Programs Affecting Senior Citizens in Virginia.

Financial Assistance
It's a slender, oversized book, with chapters on Financial Assistance, explaining in detail everything you need to know about Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Pensions and Veterans Benefits, the Food Stamp program and Federal Tax Relief.

Health Care
There's also a section on Health Care, discussing in detail Medicaid, Medicare, Medigap and Medicare Supplemental Insurance, Long-term Care Insurance, Alzh eimer's Disease, and Injury and Illness Prevention.

Long Term Care
They also discuss Long Term Care in detail, including Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities,  Adult Day Care, Home Care, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities.

Housing
This section discusses Landlord-Tenant Issues, Rental Assistance Program, and Reverse Mortgages.

Then they get into the legal stuff, called Preparing for the Future

Divorce for the elderly, Real estate transfers, Probate and estate administration, Advance Directives, Power of Attorney, Guardianship, and Funeral Services.

Protection of Legal Rights
Consumer Guide - credit cards, telemarketers, unscrupulous practices, Age Discrimination, Discrimination based on disability, and Elder abuse.

Finally, there's a list of all sorts of helpful contacts for seniors.

Okay...here's the kicker. This book is copyright 2004...so it's 4 years out of date.

Every State Has A Senior Citizen's Handbook
That's why it's important for senior citizens to become familiar with the internet, and know how to find things on it.  Obviously, you're familiar with it - otherwise you wouldn't have found this blog, but too many seniors are afraid to try computers because they think it's too hard.

And heck, 20 years ago that may have been true. But these days computers are so simple to operate that any senior, if shown how to do it by someone patient and knowledgeable themselves, can learn how to do it.

Go to your favorite search engine. I use www.google.com   Type in "Senior Citizen's Handbook" and your state in the search box, and then let it rip.

In addition to a website for each state dedicated to Senior Citizens, you can also download this handbook as a PDF. That means that you can open the file and read it (using a program called Acrobat Reader, which is free.)

Because all of the files are electronic, they can be updated within days of a rule being changed ... so that these files never go out of date. (Of course, that's always assuming that the state involved has enough money to pay a webmaster to update the files...!)

So take a tour of the web, and find the handbook for your state, and read up on everything you need to know.

For more information go to http://www.seniorservicematch.com/formindex.php
Fill out their short survey to find services and information that match your needs.