Elder care web site is useful tool for caregivers

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

Local providers of senior services have joined forces to make the job of caring for others and caring for oneself much easier.

Especially aimed at the "sandwich generation," the web site www.eldercarenet.org has volumes of information for a multitude of questions on aging. It is sponsored by Elder Care Network of Larimer County, a collaboration of family members and community professionals working to help caregivers, their families and support groups join with their elders to plan transitions and explore options.

"Children of aging parents are always operating in a crisis mode," said Yvonne Myers, health systems coordinator for Columbine Health Systems, but good planning can avert many of the common problems. It's a matter of getting up to speed on Medicare, power of attorney and financial planning, to name a few issues.

The web site provides guidance on legal, financial, insurance and health issues, along with explanations of the variety of care facilities. The health section, for example, advises readers on the symptoms of dementia, depression and other mental health issues.

There are answers to frequently asked questions and links to area resources for elder care. Another link encourages caregivers to care for themselves and advises them how to do it.

As the web site helps educate consumers, members of Elder Care Network benefit from closer contact with their peers in caregiving professions, and they can refer clients to people they know in various areas of expertise. "I'm not giving out a name in a phone book," Myers said. "I'm giving people that I know."