Take Charge! : The Complete Guide to Senior Living in New York City

by Vinton, John

• ISBN13: 9780814788004
• ISBN10: 0814788009
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-06-01
• Publisher: New York Univ Pr

Summary

This is the first book that targets the true older New Yorker who may needto access a social service program one day and plan a trip the next day.A truly invaluable and timely guide.--Adeena BesdinExpert on EldercareTake Charge! is a major contribution to older adults, their families,and professionals in the New York City area.--Helen MillerDirector of HealthOutreachFor people over the age of sixty, New York City is a cluttered attic-a mess of valuables that cannot be ignored, but that for the most part remains buried in jargon, agencies, regulations, and eligibility forms. New York City is, after all, a place that offers seniors everything from discount tickets for Broadway shows to social service agencies for those who speak foreign languages including Spanish, Cantonese or Tagalog. It is a place of endless benefits for those who can dig through the junk in the attic, organize what is there and still have the desire to leave the house.Take Charge! The Complete Guide to Senior Living in New York City is the first book to gather, in a single volume, information and advice for people over sixty who want to make the most of the city. Here at last is an all-inclusive guide that addresses every concern for senior New Yorkers, from entertainment and healthcare to housing and taxes. Take Charge! reaches beyond merely listing phone numbers and programs to giving advice on a number of areas, from choosing an HMO, a reverse mortgage, or an elder law attorney, to receiving travel discounts and negotiating home care.Containing everything a person over sixty needs to know to make the most of life in New York City, Take Charge! is the only comprehensive guide available for New York seniors and their families.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xiii
Choices in Life Enrichment	p. 1
Arts and Entertainment	p. 2
Senior Centers and Public Libraries	p. 2
Sundays at JASA	p. 2
Senior Action in a Gay Environment	p. 3
Discounts at Museums and Exhibitions	p. 3
Discounts at Concert Halls	p. 3
Free and Discount Theater Tickets	p. 3
Discounts at Mavie Theaters	p. 4
Senior Theater Companies	p. 4
Elders Share the Arts	p. 4
Elder Craftsmen	p. 5
Financial Assistance	p. 5
Recreation and Travel	p. 6
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation	p. 6
Other Recreation Programs	p. 7
Low-Cost Day Trips	p. 8
Discount Travel	p. 8
Discount Travel Swindles	p. 13
Learning and Travel Opportunities	p. 15
Work and Travel Opportunities	p. 15
Healthcare for Travelers	p. 17
Travel Resources for the Disabled	p. 19
Low-Cost Senior Camps	p. 21
Vacation Camp for the Blind	p. 22
Learning Opportunities	p. 23
Senior Centers and Public Libraries	p. 23
Computer Classes	p. 23
High School--Level Learning	p. 24
College-Level Learning	p. 25
Learning and Travel Opportunities	p. 29
Job Training, Employment, and Volunteer Opportunities	p. 30
Job Programs for Low-Income Seniors	p. 30
Job Programs for All-Income Seniors	p. 32
Opportunities for Craftspeople	p. 33
Local Volunteer Opportunities	p. 34
Volunteer Opportunities Outside the City	p. 35
Advocacy Groups	p. 36
Preventing Abuse and Crime	p. 38
Elder Abuse	p. 38
Age Discrimination	p. 41
Swindles	p. 42
Assistance for Crime Victims	p. 46
Safety Tips	p. 48
Choices in Housing and Long-Term Care	p. 52
Standard Housing	p. 53
Programs for Homeowners and Renfers	p. 54
Programs for Homeowners Only	p. 58
Programs for Renfers Only	p. 75
Seniors-Only Rental Housing	p. 82
Other Below-Market Apartments	p. 87
Home Care and Community Support Services	p. 90
Home Care	p. 90
Community Support Services	p. 113
Supportive and Long-Term Care Housing	p. 128
Congregate Housing	p. 130
Personal-Care Housing	p. 135
Medical- and Personal-Care Housing	p. 141
Paying for Long-Term Care	p. 154
Will I Need Long-Term Care?	p. 154
What Does Long-Term Care Cost?	p. 155
Medicaid	p. 156
Supplementaf Security Income	p. 156
Medicare	p. 157
Department of Veterans Affairs	p. 157
Workers' Compensation Boand	p. 157
Assisted Living Confracts	p. 158
Life Insurance	p. 158
Corporate and Union Retiree Health Insurance	p. 158
Long-Term Care Insurance	p. 158
Healthcare Choices	p. 170
Healthcare Programs	p. 171
Medicare	p. 171
Insurance to Supplement Fee-for-Service Medicare	p. 183
Alternatives to Medigap Insurance ("Medicare+Choice")	p. 188
Medicaid	p. 202
Department of Veterans Affairs	p. 206
Workers' Compensation Board	p. 208
Self-Help Healthcare	p. 210
Exercise	p. 210
Nutrition	p. 212
Weight Management	p. 214
Getting the Most from Your Doctor Visit	p. 215
Electronic Storage of Medical Information	p. 217
Self-Help Information and Support Groups	p. 218
Resources for Common Health Concerns	p. 220
Financial and Legal Choices	p. 254
Income Programs	p. 255
Social Security	p. 255
Supplemental Security Income	p. 272
Department of Veterans Affairs	p. 277
Food Stamps	p. 279
Public Assistance	p. 281
Emergency Public Assistance	p. 281
Money Management	p. 283
Choices in the Ownership and Management of Property	p. 283
Banking	p. 293
Credit	p. 295
Electronic Delivery of Federal and State Cash Benefits	p. 301
Some Federal Tax Breaks	p. 302
Some New York State and City Tax Breaks	p. 305
Free Help with Tax Returns	p. 305
Some Insurance Guidelines	p. 307
Pensions and Profit Sharing	p. 310
Financial Planning	p. 312
Estate Planning	p. 319
Investment Swindles	p. 321
Sweepstakes Swindles	p. 324
Legal Services	p. 326
Free Legal Assistance	p. 327
Self Pay Legal Assistance	p. 329
Choices at the End of Life	p. 332
End-of-Life Healthcare	p. 333
Advance Directives	p. 333
Hospice	p. 337
Assisted Death and Suicide	p. 340
Assisted Death	p. 340
Suicide	p. 341
Disposal of Remains	p. 344
The Death Certificate	p. 344
Choices in the Disposal of Remains	p. 345
Death Ceremonies	p. 348
Service Providers	p. 349
Payment Sources	p. 355
Death Notices and Obituaries	p. 357
Bereavement Support Groups	p. 358
Distribution of Property	p. 360
Safeguarding Your Wishes	p. 360
The Distribution Process	p. 366
Multilingual Help and Information	p. 371
Acknowledgments	p. 387
Index	p. 395
About the Author	p. 401
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