HEALTH RESOURCES How to Keep Your Personal Health Record www.myphr.com My Personal Health Record is a valuable website that includes a guide to help you be a more active participant in managing your personal health information, ensuring complete documentation of your treatment and medical history. For Additional Safety
Lifeline Systems
(800) 635-6156
www.lifelinesys.com
Pendant - when pressed, alerts local monitoring station that the wearer needs help. Increases safety and independence, especially for those who live alone.
MedicAlert Foundation
(800) 825-3785
www.medicalert.org
Bracelets or pendants with phone number for 24-hour emergency medical information Prevention Resources 2 Minute Breast Exam
www.2minutebreastexam.com/2-minutes/
This website is a project of Dr. William Goodson, a breast surgeon who has practiced in San Francisco, California for over 25 years. Dr. Goodson believes that "all women should have an annual clinical breast exam and that each breast should be examined for at least one minute (2 minutes for both breasts).This website includes a free online video designed to educate the public and doctors about both the importance and how to do a complete breast exam. This is definitely a case of the old phrase:
"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...." Illness-Related Foundations and Websites
American Chronic Pain Association
www.theacpa.org
Arthritis Foundation
www.arthritis.org
Caring Bridge
Caring Bridge is a nonprofit organization that offers free, easy-to-create, personalized web sites that help connect friends and family to help them stay in touch during significant life events. The personalized websites display journal entries and photographs. Well-wishers visit the page to read updates and leave messages in the Guestbook.
target="_blank">www.caringbridge.org
Diabetes Society
www.diabetes.org
Humor, Grace and Music are some of the gifts that Ric Masten had in his bag of tricks before he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. This site includes his "one-liners" drawings and personal experiences.
target="_blank">www.ric-masten.net
Mended Hearts
www.mendedhearts.org
Grass roots organization, run by people who have heart disease.
Multiple Sclerosis
www.nmss.org
www.msconnection.org
National Mental Health Consumers Self Help Clearinghouse
www.mhselfhelp.org
Self Help Group Referrals (800) 553 4539
National Mental Health Association
www.nmha.org
(800) 969-NMHA
National Organization for Rare Disorders
www.rarediseases.org
Pharmacy (Mail-Order) with consulting pharmacist H.H.C.S. Health Group
http://www.hhcs.com
Sickle Cell Anemia
www.sicklecelldisease.org
(800) 421-8453 SITES FOR PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL ILLNESS & THEIR LOVED ONES ~ CaringBridge ~ Personal Web Sites for Those Experiencing Significant Life Events ~
CaringBridge is a non-profit organization that offers free, personalized web sites to those wishing to stay in touch with family and friends during significant life events. CaringBridge authors craft messages that are informative and reflect a special sensitivity to privacy issues. At each web site, well-wishers can read updates about the subject and leave messages in the Guestbook.
www.caringbridge.org/about.htm. ~ Lotsa Helping Hands~ Helps friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors assist loved ones in need manage and coordinate offers of help. http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/ *** *** *** **** **** “TWELVE STEP RECOVERY PROGRAMS” Al-Anon <http://www.Al-Anon-Alateen.org> for families and friends of alcoholics
Alcoholics Anonymous <http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/>
Debtors Anonymous <http://www.debtorsanonymous.org>
Food Addicts anonymous <http.www.foodaddictsanonymous.org>
Narcotics Anonymous <www.na.org>
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous <http://www.sca-recovery.org>
RESOURCES FOR AGING
AARP: American Association of Retired Persons
www.aarp.org
America's largest organization that represents people over 50. Their website has a wide range of helpful pieces about coping with health problems, planning for retirement.
The National Council on Aging - Benefits CheckUp
www.benefitscheckup.org
Are You Getting all the Government Benefits You Are Entitled To? The NCOA reports that 5 million older adults are currently missing out on benefit programs that can provide help with health care, transportation, housing, energy assistance, and other services. Benefit CheckUp is a free, easy-to use public service that will help you find out what benefits you qualify for and how to get them.
ADVOCACY RESOURCES
The Department of Justice
Maintains an ADA Information Line to assist the public in understanding and interpreting the Americans with Disabilities Act. Line also provides contact information for the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and other agencies with regulatory responsibility under the ADA
(800) 514-0301 (voice)
(800) 514-0383 (TTD)
Cystic Fibrosis Legal Information Hotline
(800) 622-0385
Free, general legal information resource about laws designed for people with cystic fibrosis, their caregivers, and others. Independent Living Centers
Services and resources for individuals with disabilities. “Definition of a Center for Independent Living from Section 702 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended:
CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING The term `center for independent living' means a consumercontrolled, communitybased, crossdisability, nonresidential private nonprofit agency that is designed and operated within a local community by individuals with disabilities and provides an array of independent living services.” To find your local center contact your local department of rehabilitation, call (713) 520 0232 or send an email to: ilru@ilru.org Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (PAI)
Nonprofit providing legal assistance to people with disabilities, striving to "protect, advocate for, and advance their human, legal, and service rights."
(800) 776-5746 (voice/TTY)
www.pai-ca.org
The National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives
Helps those denied Social Security Disability Insurance
(800) 431-2804 Social Security Disability Secrets "Tips, secrets and advice to win social security disability (SSDI, SSD) & SSI Benefits:" http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/ INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ABOUT ADVANCED HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES: The American Bar Association's toolkit to help you plan for how you want your health care decisions handled when and if you are unable to speak for yourself in an emergency.
www.abanet.org/aging/home
The California Commission for Compassionate Choices' information about advanced care directives gives more detailed information about issues to consider when planning for end-of-life choices. www.finalchoices.calhealth.org/advance_health_care_directives.htm
Major Health Search Engines
www.drkoop.com The Redwood Health Library is a medical library designed to be used by individuals who are not health care professionals. If you become a member you can order full text medical articles through Loansome Docs.
http://www.phcd.org/rdwdlib.html National Center for Health Statistics http://www.cdc.gov/nchs Statistical Resources on the Web http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html National Center for Health Statistics http://www.cdc.gov/nchs Consumer Reports Best Buys on Drugs http://www.crbestbuydrugs.org/ DISCLAIMER:
This website is designed for educational purposes, and is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological care. All information posted on this site is the opinion of the author and is provided for educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as medical advice. Please consult your doctor for the appropriateness of any treatment.
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