Elder Law •  Alzheimers Association, Massachusetts Chapter The Association is an alliance of family members, individuals with dementia and professionals dedicated to helping people with chronic dementing illnesses and their families through education, advocacy, and support. Its website has caregiver tips, public policy updates, a list of support groups and information on events, educational programs and research. The Association's 24-hour helpline is 800-548-2111. •  MassHealth Regulations The Office of Medicaid (formerly called the Division of Medical Assistance) maintains on-line access to its regulations on MassHealth (Medicaid) eligibility. The on-line regulations are unofficial, and may not be current. However, they are written in reasonably plain language and may be helpful as a starting point in gaining a better understanding of the rights and responsibilities of applicants and members. •  MassHealth Regulations •  Medicare Advocacy Project This non-profit agency provides information and free legal representation for Medicare recipients, when disagree with the amount Medicare will pay on a claim; are told to leave a hospital prematurely or that Medicare will no longer pay for your hospital stay; are told Medicare will not pay for home health or skilled nursing facility services;or are denied Medicare coverage for physicians' services, durable medical equipment, or any other Medicare claim. •  National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys 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 must deal with the many specialized issues involved with legal services to the elderly and disabled. •  Nursing Home Consumer Guide This Guide and checklist, prepared by the Alzheimers Association, Massachusetts Chapter, is especially useful in helping you determine whether a nursing home is actually providing special Alzheimer care. Take this checklist with you as you visit potential homes and openly ask questions and rate each facility on important features. •  Nursing Home Scorecard This is a useful site for objective information on adequacy of staffing, quality of care and cleanliness of facilities. The Department of Public Health, through its Division of Health Care Quality, inspects the state's Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes at least every 9-15 months to assess compliance with federal standards of care. In addition, as necessary, the Division investigates complaints and serious incidents occurring within a nursing home. On this site, the Division publishes a summary of its findings on every surveyed facility. •  Questions and Answers in Finding an Elder Law Attorney Even people who recognize their need for elder law or disabiility law expertise may find it hard to find the most appropriate attorney for their needs. Many specific areas of legal practice come within the elder and disability law fields, and certainly not all attorneys practicing within these fields have training and experience in all possible areas. This site (established by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys) offers helpful advice on identifying, interviewing and selecting an elder or disability law attorney appropriate to your needs. •  Rewarding Work Resources, Inc. People with disabilities and elders may be eligible for the services of personal assistants (formerly called "personal care attendants") and other caregivers from MassHealth (Medicaid), the Department of Mental Retardation, and other agencies, to help them lead as independent lives as possible. Often, the individual is given the power to choose and hire staff for such services. FINDING staff with appropriate training and experience has been a major problem for many, however. This website, maintained by Rewarding Work Resources, Inc., a non-profit agency, is intended to help people with disabilities, and members of their family on their behalf, find available personal assistants in their area. •  Social Security Administration The website of the Social Security Administration is filled with useful information on Old Age, Disability and Survivor's benefits, Supplemental Security Income and Medicare. Many publications and forms are available on-line. You can even apply for benefits on-line. •  Social Security Handbook The Handbook is a detailed but plain-language guide to eligibility and services under Social Security Old Age, Disability and Survivors benefits, and Medicare. While the Handbook has general information on Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid, these programs vary greatly from state to state. •  U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs The latest information on health benefits and services, compensation, vocational rehabilitation services, employment services, education and more.