Adults

Quick Links
General Information – Health – Money Matters – Recreation

GENERAL INFORMATION

USA Gov for Seniors – The website for seniors to conduct business with and get information from the U.S. government.  Locate resources about benefits, consumer protection, education, health, jobs, taxes, travel, and leisure.

New Jersey Division of Aging and Community Services (DACS) – State services and programs, with a directory of offices and a toll-free telephone hotline number 1-800-792-8820 or 609-943-3437 for out-of-state callers.

Essex County Division of Senior Services – County services and programs, for persons 60 years of age and older.

AARP – The American Association of Retired Persons’ official site with volunteer opportunities, an Internet guide, material on health and legal concerns, independent living tips, consumer information, employment counseling, and plenty more.

Alternatives for Seniors – Useful site if you are searching for senior apartments, assisted living, independent living, nursing homes, or other senior services, you’ve come to the right place. (You may already be familiar with the print version of the Senior Housing and Services Directory which has been available for free at the library for a number of years.)

HEALTH

AHRO – Advancing Excellence in Health Care – The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. As 1 of 12 agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, AHRQ supports research that helps people make more informed decisions and improves the quality of health care services. AHRQ was formerly known as the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.

HealthyNJ – Information for Healthy Living – HealthyNJ is a product of the University Libraries at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The Consumer Health Information Task Force, comprised of librarians from each of the four UMDNJ Campus Libraries, developed the content of the Web Site to meet the health care information needs of consumers, particularly the citizens of New Jersey. HealthyNJ also has relevance for NJ based policy makers and health care professionals. Content on the pages is selected and developed based on criteria including currency, accuracy, and relevance. Links are constantly monitored for viability and changes are made as necessary. We strive to abide by the Health On the Net Principles and adhere to the guidelines put forward by the Health Summit Working Group. In 2004 HealthyNJ began a partnership with staff from the Sala Hispanoamericana at the Newark Public Library to help grow the Spanish-language content of the site.

CHARM – The Consumer Health Awareness Resources at Mountainside (CHARM) provides health information to patients, their families and caregivers, and the general public.  Upon request the medical librarian will research and deliver information about medical conditions and treatment options, tests and procedures, mental health, addictions, healthy lifestyles and clinical trials.  Information is gathered from authoritative medical databases and web sites and delivered to consumers via email, U.S. mail, or fax.

Merck Manual of Geriatrics – A vast, easy to search compendium of health information for more mature adults.

NeedyMeds – Check out this resource if you are looking for low cost health care and need help in paying for prescription drugs. In addition to information on drugs, there is also information on clinics, state programs, and programs run by other non-profits, as well as a speaker’s bureau.

NIHSeniorHealth – Welcome to NIHSeniorHealth. This easy-to-use website features basic health and wellness information for older adults from the National Institutes of Health. Use the buttons at the top of each page to make the text bigger, change text color, or hear the text read aloud.

MedlinePlus – MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free. You can use MedlinePlus to learn about the latest treatments, look up information on a drug or supplement, find out the meanings of words, or view medical videos or illustrations. You can also get links to the latest medical research on your topic or find out about clinical trials on a disease or condition.

Household Products Database – Health & Safety Information on Household Products.  What’s under your kitchen sink, in your garage, in your bathroom, and on the shelves in your laundry room? Go to this site to learn more about what’s in these products, about potential health effects, and about safety and handling.

RECREATION

SeniorNet – A computer education site especially for those adults 50+ with lessons about technology and directories of learning centers and programs.

Senior.com – With a diversity of information, including online magazines and a directory of doctors, Senior.com strives to be “the best online community for seniors” interested in computers, entertainment, health, money, relationships, and religion.  Offered too are free email accounts.

Third Age – Featuring interactivity with other seniors and geriatric specialists, Third Age supplies know-how about computers, travel, nutrition, lifestyle, and money management.

MONEY MATTERS

Medicare – Frequently asked questions on eligibility, enrollment, Medigap insurance, etc. along with contacts, publications, and guidance on avoiding fraud.

Social Security Online – How Social Security works, calculating benefits, services for businesses, data, and articles.  Online forms are posted too.