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 December 2007 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: Being Well WNYSeniorCare.org An Innovation in Senior Service By Christopher Schobert
This is also clear from the feedback coming in from satisfied users such as this one: “I am happy to see that there is a web site with information on the difficult aging issues that we and our parents are facing due to longer lives.” Another piece of feedback points to the comfort it can offer to family members separated by great distances: “I am trying to find some home care options for my mother who lives in Buffalo and I am in Texas. This was helpful in giving me some numbers to call and web sites to pursue from a distance.” This local breakthrough is also being recognized state-wide, as WNYSeniorCare.org was awarded the 2007 Innovation of the Year Award from the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. Recently, WNYSeniorCare.org consultant Amanda Lohiser answered some questions on the site’s goals, how it works and what’s to come. FY: Why, exactly, was the site developed, and what role was it designed to fill in the community? AL: Research conducted by members of the Western New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (WNYAHSA), by the medical community and senior care organizations in Western New York indicated that families often find the senior care environment difficult to navigate. When healthcare professionals in the community were asked to define services WNYAHSA should consider providing in the future, they overwhelmingly suggested a function to help families find the most appropriate senior care services. WNYSeniorCare.org was created as a result of this research. It was developed by the members of WNYAHSA and is sponsored by the Western New York Foundation of Homes and Services for the Aging and the John R. Oishei Foundation. The goal is to connect families with senior care solutions; to help families to identify seniors’ care needs earlier in the process; to educate families about the importance of preparing for the future and understanding where to access services; and lastly, to help to open dialogue among family members and with the medical community in discussing the needs of their loved ones. FY: How exactly does the site work? AL: The site is a free and anonymous online environment in which families and caregivers can learn about the senior care options available to them in Western New York. The site also explains the differences between the types of services and programs, how to pay for senior care, answers to frequently asked questions, and links and articles that provide up-to-date information on issues facing today’s families with aging parents or relatives. The highlight of the site is the Senior Care Assessment Tool, the first web-based tool of its kind in the region, developed by a team of long-term care professionals. The tool harnesses the power of the web and information technology to help families frame important issues that will assist them in making better senior care decisions. It's a user-friendly tool containing an 11-question survey. Each answer to the multiple-choice questions is weighted, resulting in a total score. Once users enter all of their responses, they are given instant results that show a total score indicating their senior’s specific care level, suggestions regarding what types of services they should seek, and the contact information for the facilities and programs within their zip codes that provide those services. FY: How often has the site been changed or updated? Are there new aspects of the site that are being worked on, or that users can expect in the future? AL: We are constantly looking for different articles that pertain to senior care issue for our “Links to Additional Information” page, as well as seeking new facilities and organizations that wish to be listed in our assessment tool database. The site’s newest addition is a section of community resources, where visitors will find links to websites and contact information for such services as offices for the aging in each county, adult day services, medical equipment, advance care planning and more. More categories, such as nutrition services and transportation, will be added in the future. back to top back to table of contents Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contest | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
