[StBernard] Seniors, adults with disabilities, caregivers invited to Louisianaanswers.com

[Westley Annis]

Seniors, adults with disabilities, caregivers invited to
Louisianaanswers.com 

Program piloted in Acadiana adds 34 new parishes

Program provides single source for questions about healthcare, housing,
medicare and other questions 

Contacts: Sharon Buchert (225) 342-7100
C. Brylski/H. Harper (504) 897-6110

BATON ROUGE--Due to increased demand for services and information since
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the federal government is funding an expansion
of the LouisianaAnswers.com program which was piloted at the Cajun Area
Agency on Aging (CAAA) last year to help older adults or adults living with
a disability improve their health, independence and quality of life.

The program, officially launched in April, 2005 by Governor Kathleen
Babineaux Blanco, Louisiana Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs (GOEA)
Director Godfrey White, and CAAA Director Shannon Broussard, allows seniors,
adults with disabilities, caregivers and health providers the ability to
find the answers to questions about care with one call or one click of the
mouse, never having to leave their home or office.

Residents like Alise Doll, received help regarding her sister's living
arrangements. Ms. Della Gallet of Lafayette was able to find help in getting
a wheelchair ramp installed at her home. The Louisiana Aging and Disability
Information Station operated by GOEA has seen an upsurge in activity after
the 2005 storms with requests to help locate seniors who had been displaced
or help them find their loved ones, according to Ms. Broussard. 

"Our program provides all types of services, including information on
transportation, dental care, wheelchair ramps, home repair, homecare,
housing, Medicaid and Medicare, financial aid, legal aid, and nearly every
other issue important to living as independently as possible as one ages or
manages a disability," she said.

According to GOEA Program Coordinator Sharon Buchert, while the CAAA
LouisianaAnswers.com program averaged more than 200 calls a month, the
expansion will allow service to up to 80,000 seniors, adults 21 years or
older with disabilities, or their caregivers, doctors and advocates.

"Though we hope eventually to bring this service to all 64 parishes, at this
time, we are focusing on 42 disaster-affected areas, hoping this service
will be available to residents and those seniors who wish to return home or
are relocated to a new community and in need of a trusted source of
information and help," said Ms. Buchert.

"We make researching lifestyle options easy," said LADIS Information
Specialist Lynda Southard from the Cajun Area. The service includes
information about public and for-pay care options, and exists t

Educate the adult customer about their housing, care, and support options
Help health care providers serve their customers by providing information
and links to services Minimize confusion about accessing care options
available Maximize the individual's ability to make their own informed
choice 

"The Information Station helps an individual put their needs and concerns
into the right questions, and then finds the best answers to those
questions," said GOEA Director Godfrey White. 

The program, part of a national effort, is funded by the U.S. Administration
on Aging and the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid, as well as the Louisiana
GOEA. Interested parties can log-on directly to the program at
www.LouisianaAnswers.com
<http://keelson.eatel.net/websites/la.gov/action.cfm?md=communication&task=a
ddClick&msg_ID=1335&ID=dyiKe%5Ei%7Cn%24ng&redirect=http://www.LouisianaAnswe
rs.com>  or call:

Acadiana (Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St.
Mary, and Vermilion) at (800) 738-2256; 

Southwest (Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis) at (800)
738-2256; 

Central Louisiana (Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Rapides,
Winn) at (800) 454-9573; 

Baton Rouge/River Parishes/Northshore (Ascension, Assumption, East Baton
Rouge, West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville,
Livingston, Point Coupee, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington)
at (800) 833-9883; 

Greater New Orleans (Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines) at (800)
635-1437; and 

Houma/Thibodaux (Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, Terrebonne) at
(800) 353-3265. 

Personal counseling and assistance is available for senior citizens, adults
with disabilities who are 21 years or older, or their caregivers, health
providers, doctors, family or friends.

For more information, contact Ms. Buchert, (225) 342-7100.

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