Not only is finding care for your children a challenge during relocation, you may also be in the position of needing senior care for an aging parent as well. For many in the "Sandwich" generation, those taking care of both youngsters and aging parents, the question is where to turn?

CareGuide is a new online directory of services and information designed to make finding senior care, as well as child care much easier. On the site, you can browse through such helpful topics as Searching For A Facility; Visiting A Facility; Choosing A Facility; Nursing Home Resident's Bill Of Rights; Checklist For Your Visit With A Nursing Home; and Checklist For Your Visit With An Assisted Living Residence.

Click on Elder Care to search for facilities by state, and then by city. Next, pick the appropriate facility based on the following criteria:

Facility Information
Includes information about nursing homes, assisted living residence and retirement communities. Residences and facilities differ in the type of care they provide ranging from short term skilled nursing care through long term care and "independent living" senior housing arrangements.

Home Care Providers
Includes information about both medical and non-medical home care agencies. Agencies are typically staffed with skilled nurses, home makers, home health aides, and therapists that provide nursing, rehabilitative, and homemaking services to homebound patients with chronic or temporarily debilitating conditions.

Adult Day Care Facilities
Centers that offer health-related and rehabilitative services, social involvement, and activities to meet the needs of the physically and/or mentally impaired elderly on a daily, weekly, or part-time basis.

Hospice Care
Information about hospice services, both home and facility-based care. Hospice care generally emphasizes pain control, symptom management, and emotional support. It is designed to help both the patient and the family.

Geriatric Care Managers/Elder Care Consultants
Professionals who assisted the elderly and their families in understanding and coping with the social, emotional, and psychological aspects of aging. Care managers generally can coordinate, direct and manage accessing of providers and services.

State & Area Agencies on Aging
Includes information about state-wide and county agencies on aging. Usually a non-profit agency or unit of local government with the responsibility for planning and coordinating services for the elderly and their caregivers in a designated regional area.

In addition, you will find helpful editorials to help you expand you knowledge about elder care so that you will be able to best decide which facilities will best meet your needs.

Published: June 3, 1998

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.