Helping Older Adults Find Health Info Online

1
Sponsored by the National Council on Aging and
IlluminAge
Healthy Aging Briefing Series
Helping Older Adults Find Health Info Online
WELCOME
This session will begin promptly at 130pm
ESTPlease mute your phonePersonal
introductions are not necessaryThe moderator
will be on the line shortly
2
Aging in America Conference March 15-19, 2009
Las Vegas!

• RENEW OR JOIN AS AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBER FOR
  100 Save 95!
• OR
• RENEW OR JOIN AS AN INDIVDUAL MEMBER FOR 75
  Save 20!
• By joining or renewing your NCOA Membership at
  this special discounted rate, you will not only
  save money off membership fees, but will also
  save you hundreds of dollars off conference
  registration fees!
• An Organizational Membership provides benefits
  for five (5) people from the same organization
  including conference discounts!
• To Take Advantage of this special Offer, call
  NCOA Membership Services at
• 800-373-4906 and mention the campaign WEBINAR
• For more information on the Aging in America
  Conference please visit
• www.agingconference.org

3
What well cover today

• How to determine if a site is credible.
• How to decide if its safe to enter information
  on a site.
• How to use search to most effectively find health
  topics youre looking for.
• Which Web sites are good sources for health and
  Medicare informationand why.

4
Credibility

• Will this site steer me right?

5
Credibility

• Use these factors to evaluate a site
• Check Contact Us Does the site show a physical
  address? Phone number?
• Check About Us Is it a nonprofit? Federal
  government agency? University? Have you heard of
  the organization before?
• See who wrote and reviewed the health info Was
  the author a medical professional? With a
  reputable organization? Did an editorial board of
  experts review it?

6
Credibility

• Ask where the health information came from Was
  it based on research? Who conducted the research?
  Who funded the research?
• Check for ads Does the site sell related
  products? Are the products mentioned in the copy,
  as a remedy to the health condition?
• Check freshness How recent is the last-updated
  date? Does the site still advertise events that
  occurred long ago?
• Judge a book by its cover Does it look and feel
  professional? Is the focus scientific? Does it
  sound too good to be true?

7
Credibility

• These are often good sources
• Health-related areas of government sites.
• Large nonprofit health organizations and
  professional associations.
• Related university departments and medical
  schools.
• Well-known commercial health sites, such as
  WebMD,
• can be good use credibility factors to evaluate
  them.

8
Safety

• Will this site safeguard my private information?

9
Safety

• If the site asks for personal information
  e-mail
• address, name, medical conditions, etc.
• Privacy Policy
• Does it have one? Does it say how personal
  information will be used? Will the organization
  share info with others?

10
Safety

• If it asks for payment
• Check for lock in lower right or https in URL
  (include screen shot)
• Do not enter secure information in a site
  without these.
• Did you see a pop-up box saying the sites
  security certificate has expired?
• Do not enter secure information in a site
  with this.

11
Usability

• Sites are easiest for seniors to use if they
  have
• A large font or way to increase font size.
• Lots of white space.
• Large buttons.
• Plain black or dark text on a plain white or
  light background.
• Colors with high contrast.
• No flashing or moving items.
• And if they
• Do not require scrolling.
• Move users easily through a site, without too
  many choices.

12
(No Transcript)
13
Finding Sites

• The Web is huge. Where do I start?

14
Finding Sites

• Search Engines
• Google.com
• Yahoo.com
• MSN.com
• Use these tools Advanced Search options if you
  dont find what you want right away.

15
Finding Sites

• Techniques
• Double check spelling
• Use multiple search terms
• Search specific terms
• Search synonyms (fatigued and tired)
• Use quotation marks to connect words in a phrase
  Alzheimer's Disease
• If needed, broaden your search (motorized chair
  vs. scooter)

16
Finding Sites

• For some search engines
• AND Use between terms to find all words.
• AND NOT Use to exclude the second word
• OR Use to find any of the words.

17
Good Health Sites

• Which sites have good health information?

18
Good Health Sites

• Heres a sampling of useful sites (not a
  comprehensive list)
• NIH Senior Health
• http//nihseniorhealth.gov
• High usability targeted content. Info on
  various conditions, including videos.

19
(No Transcript)
20
Good Health Sites

• Other National Institutes of Health sites
• National Institute on Aging
• http//www.nia.nih.gov
• Good usability. Publications include Age Pages,
  written for older audience. Links to 300 national
  aging-related organizations.
• National Institutes of Health Seniors Health
  section
• http//health.nih.gov/category/SeniorsHealth
• Comprehensive information on multiple
  conditions symptoms, treatment, research, etc.
• National Institutes of Health Health section
• http//health.nih.gov
• Detailed information for any age

21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
Good Health Sites

• MedlinePlus
• www.medlineplus.gov
• Extensive, detailed information on 750 topics.
  Additional detailed information on drugs and
  supplements. Encyclopedia and dictionary, as well
  as tutorials.

25
(No Transcript)
26
Good Health Sites

• USA.gov - Health for Seniors
• http//www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/Health.shtml
• Broad range of topics conditions, facilities,
  elder abuse, Medicare and Medicaid, prescription
  drugs, prevention. Clearinghouse of links to
  other sites.

27
(No Transcript)
28
Good Health Sites

• AARP - Health
• http//www.aarp.org/health/
• Daily news, symptom checker, drug finder, online
  community for sharing.

29
(No Transcript)
30
Good Health Sites

• MedicineNet.com
• http//www.medicinenet.com/senior_health/focus.ht
  m
• Not specifically seniors, but has extensive
  information includes pictures of conditions,
  interactive guide to symptoms, descriptions of
  procedures and tests, drug info, prevention,
  glossary. Commercial site.

31
(No Transcript)
32
Good Health Sites

• WebMD Healthy Aging Health Center
• http//www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/default.htm
• Mostly preventative information includes
  message boards and blogs so readers can share
  with others. Commercial site.

33
(No Transcript)
34
Good Health Sites

• Senior Health - MayoClinic.com
• http//www.mayoclinic.com/health/senior-health/HA
  99999
• Topics beyond the usual suspects bruising, dry
  mouth, nail fungus. Includes slide shows, plus
  information on diseases and conditions. Written
  in plain language.

35
(No Transcript)
36
Good Health Sites

• NetWellness
• http//www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/aging/
• Info for seniors and caregivers less in-depth
  than some other sites, but presented in a large
  font and described in understandable, simple
  text.

37
(No Transcript)
38
Good Health Sites

• infoaging.org
• http//websites.afar.org/site/PageServer?pagename
  IA_homepage
• Research-based information on biology of aging,
  diseases, healthy aging. From the American
  Federation for Aging Research.

39
(No Transcript)
40
Good Medicare Sites

• How do I learn about Medicare coverage?

41
Good Medicare Sites

• The following sites were chosen by NCOA as
  providing
• understandable, reliable, and accurate
  information. They
• cover
• Preventive services
• Medicare Part D
• To learn more, see NCOAs Navigator video, which
  helps
• seniors become more familiar with using the Web
  to learn
• about Medicare
• http//www.mymedicarematters.org/navigator/

42
Good Medicare Sites

• Medicare Basics
• MyMedicareMatters.org (NCOA)
• www.mymedicarematters.org
• Written in plain language, with good usability.
  Includes 7 Simple Steps to finding a Part D plan.
  Covers the Extra Help benefit, plus basics of
  Medicare and preventive benefits.

43
(No Transcript)
44
Good Medicare Sites

• Talking About Medicare A Guide to the Program
  (Kaiser Family Foundation)
• www.kff.org/medicare/7067/index.cfm
• Comprehensive and concise guide to Medicare
  eligibility and coverage.

45
(No Transcript)
46
Good Medicare Sites

• Government Web Sites
• Medicare.gov
• www.medicare.gov
• Government's official Web site for seniors.
  Information-rich site includes Medicare drug
  coverage, Medicare You handbook, and Medicare
  comparison tools.

47
(No Transcript)
48
Good Medicare Sites

• MyMedicare.gov
• www.mymedicare.gov
• Personalized information, including a list of
  preventive benefits, claims info, and plan
  enrollment info.

49
(No Transcript)
50
Good Medicare Sites

• Benefits and Programs for Older Adults
• BenefitsCheckUp (NCOA)
• www.benefitscheckup.org
• Apply for Medicare's Extra Help, plus check
  eligibility for up to 1,500 national, state, and
  local benefits programs.

51
(No Transcript)
52
Good Medicare Sites

• My Medicare Matters (NCOA) Personalized
  assistance
• www.mymedicarematters.org
• Tells how to find personal assistance in the
  community.

53
(No Transcript)
54
QUESTIONS?
55
Dont Forget Your Free Copy of Aging in Stride
NCOA and Caresource are pleased to offer
first-time registrants for this Healthy Aging
Briefing Series a complimentary copy of the book
Aging in Stride, which includes the new
supplement Just In Case Emergency Readiness for
Older Adults and Caregivers. To receive your
copy, please visit www.AgingInStride.org/NCOAoffer
Or just email service_at_caresource.com with your
name, title, organization, mailing address, phone
number, and date of this Briefing. One free copy
per registrant, please.