Aging, Disability & Health Issues

Aging, Disability and Health Issues

Last Updated March 2009

AGING AND ELDER LAW: 

ABA Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly 
http://www.abanet.org/elderly/home.html 
The mission of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging is to strengthen and secure the legal rights, dignity, autonomy, quality of life, and quality of care of elders. Users are offered a hyperlinked index of elder-related Websites: federal and state legislative updates, reports, and legislative trends in health care, state case law, publications, and videos. 

Institute of Gerontology 
http://www.iog.wayne.edu/ 
The mission of the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University is to improve the community's health through research, education and outreach programs that connect seniors and their families to current knowledge. Information includes abstracts of the Institute grant research projects, training opportunities and education programs, articles on aging (Transitions), and other information. 

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) 
http://www.naela.org/Default.aspx?Internal=true 
NAELA is a non-profit association that assists lawyers and others who work with the elderly and their families. Resources include a FAQ for seeking elder law attorneys, articles, news and events, and links to other web resources pertaining to the aged and elder-law. 

National Institute on Aging (NIA) 
http://www.nia.nih.gov/ 
The NIA is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institute of Health (NIH). It leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. It has been designated by the NIH as the primary federal agency on Alzheimer disease research. Site users have access to basic health information (publications, Q&A), research information (program areas, gerontology, funding, training etc.), and news and events. 

Social Security Administration 
http://www.ssa.gov/ 
This is the official website of the United States Social Security Administration. It offers users a wealth of information about the social security program and information about such matters as retirement, Medicare, disability, SSI, survivor’s benefits, and other information related to social security. User resources include an electronic newsletter, forms, publications, policy matters, rulemaking, and a FAQ section concerning a variety of subjects such as benefits, disability, and pensions. 

US Department of Health and Human Services - Administration on Aging (AOA) 
http://www.aoa.gov/ 
The mission of the AOA, an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is to promote the dignity and independence of older people and to help society prepare for an aging population. Users of the site can access information about the agency, its budget and organizational structure, as well as resources regarding Alzheimers and other elder care issues. 

DISABILITY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW: 

Americans with Disabilities Act Regulations and Technical Assistance Materials 
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/publicat.htm 
The U.S. Department of Justice provides free ADA materials including links to the regulations as printed in the Code of Federal Regulations. This website contains the text of the American with Disabilities Act and pertinent regulations including prohibition against discrimination by the state and local governments and in places of public accommodation or commercial facilities. In addition, the website contains question and answer booklets and numerous documents that outline methods of complying with the ADA. 

Job Accommodations Network ADA Hotlinks and Document Center 
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/links/adalinks.htm 
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor. Its mission is to facilitate the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing employers, employment providers, people with disabilities, their family members, and other interested parties with information on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities. This website contains several hyperlinked indexes of disability-related topics including: assistance for individuals with disabilities in seeking and maintaining employment; help for educational institutions in accommodating students with disabilities; providing guidance for private and government employers; and relaying basic information about accommodating individuals with disabilities. 

ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
http://www.abanet.org/disability/ 
The Commission’s mission is to promote the ABA's commitment to justice and the rule of law for persons with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities and to promote their full and equal participation in the legal profession." This website includes the Mental and Physical Disability Law Reporter and Law Digest, which are journals containing information about recent decisions, trends, and legislation pertaining to disability law. 

Family Village (A Global Community of Disability-Related Resources)
http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/index.htmlx 
This website, provided by the University of Wisconsin - Madison Waisman Center, is a global community that integrates information, resources, and communication opportunities on the Internet for persons with cognitive and other disabilities, for their families, and for those that provide them services and support. The centerpiece of Family Village is the library, where visitors can find information on over 300 diagnoses, as well as information concerning assistive technology, legal rights and legislation, special education, and leisure activities.