News Briefs
News Briefs
Finding help when they need it
The caregiving community made its approval known when President Clinton proposed a $3,000 annual tax credit for people providing long-term care for elderly or disabled family members. But according to FamilyCareAmerica, cost is just one ingredient in the caregiving recipe. The group says that because there is no national resource for locating local sources of assistance, those people who must provide care for family members dealing with some form of disability that prevents them from performing daily activities have an even tougher job.
Ron Moore, president and founder of FamilyCare America, says, "Caregiving affects all age groups and lifestyles, and it is a problem that will only become more pervasive as America’s aging baby boomer population eventually becomes dependent upon their family members for one or more daily activities. . . . While cost is and will continue to be a major concern about caregiving, the ability for families to find one-stop solutions in a rapid, logical manner is perhaps even more pressing, especially at the onset of a caregiving situation."
FamilyCare America plans to launch a new Web site this spring to remedy that. The company presently has a one that provides both national and local links to caregiving resources, but it is not a customized site. Moore says FamilyCare America will be the first national organization to link individuals providing care with caregiving solutions.
When its proposed Web site goes live, Moore says the Richmond, VA-based group provide relevant, localized resources for financial, legal, health, community, family life, individual well-being, goods and services, housing, insurance, social, and emotional needs. For more information, call (804) 343-2316, or check out the Web site at www.familycareamerica.com.
Health info most sought on Web
According to Gomez Advisors, an on-line provider of e-commerce research and analysis, the on-line health content industry serves the largest number of consumers, but has a confusing number of providers. David Steele MD, senior analyst for Gomez, says, "There are over 20,000 sites on the Web that provide health content and 30% of Internet users are looking for health information. Health is the largest market segment on the Web and is an industry where consumers have tremendous options, but few safeguards against false or misleading information. We plan to be the objective advocate for the consumer."
Being accountable
Currently, there are no restrictions on who can set up an on-line health site and supply information to consumers. Gomez Advisors issues Internet health content scorecards. By demanding full disclosure, comprehensive documentation, and provision of qualified sources, Gomez officials say they hope to make health sites accountable to consumers.
"While it would not be humanly possible to check the validity of each and every word within a Web site, we do a careful review of the steps sites take to make sure they instill consumer confidence in the information they provide, such as disclosing authors, credentials, actively monitoring message boards, etc.," Steele says.
Gomez Advisors sites also help consumers manage their health using fitness calculators, risk assessments, "ask the doctor" columns, and e-mail reminders for medical appointments. "Consumers face a virtual mountain of sources for information; perhaps more pages are dedicated to health than any other subject on the Web," Steele says. "Gomez Advisors will be a critical filter to lead consumers to the best, most trustworthy sites for their particular needs. Our job is to make sure people have the tools and resources they need to access the most accurate and reliable health information available."
Gomez Advisors will expand its health care practice to women’s health, alternative therapies, nutrition, fitness, and disease-specific sites in the coming months. For more information, call (781) 257-2058 or visit www.gomez.com.
More Web health monitoring available
LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, a provider of interactive health management services, is joining with iVillage.com, an on-line women’s network to provide personalized health management tools for daily management of diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. The tools are based on a clinically proven program of patient involvement that combines regular monitoring of vital signs, lifestyle modification, and patient education through using the Internet.
"Women make three-quarters of all the health care decisions in U.S. households today and spend nearly two of every three healthcare dollars," says Christobel Selecky, CEO of LifeMasters. "More than ever, women are the ultimate decision makers when it comes to health care decisions for their husbands, children, and aging parents. By partnering with iVillage, we will be able to provide a large number of women and their loved ones with instant access to quality tools for interactive health management."
Tailor-made
A portfolio of customizable features will include coaching e-mails, health tips and reminders, a health diary, a health data archive, and an easily accessible emergency medical record — all personalized to the user’s specific requirements. According to the terms of the agreement, LifeMasters will deliver additional lifestyle and health management modules to iVillage over the course of the contract. For more information, call (800) 760-9261, or visit www. Lifemasters.net.
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