Easier Access to Information Supports Independent Living
Governor M. Jodi Rell said today that thousands of Connecticut residents are visiting the state’s new consumer-friendly long-term care website every month to obtain information on critically needed services and support programs.
The website, www.ct.gov/longtermcare, registered more than 59,000 visits from January through September of this year, or about 220 visits per day. The site was officially launched in July 2007.
“It is encouraging to see that so many people are taking advantage of this easy-to-navigate website to help them locate information on the vast array of long-term care services available in Connecticut,” Governor Rell said. “At some point in our lives nearly all of us will be affected by the need for long-term care, either personally or as a caregiver for family members or friends. The website is a useful tool both for quickly locating needed services and, equally important, for planning ahead.”
The governor said the site was developed to help meet the growing need for easier access to comprehensive information on long-term care. She noted that many people erroneously believe long-term care refers exclusively to institutional care, particularly for older adults.
“Hundreds of thousands of residents of all ages and health status require long-term care because it encompasses all the services and support programs needed for extended periods by people with physical or mental disabilities or those who are chronically ill,” Governor Rell said.
The state Office of Policy and Management developed www.ct.gov/longtermcare in consultation with the Connecticut Commission on Aging, the Office of Policy and Management, the Long-Term Care Advisory Council and Infoline.
According to Connecticut’s 2007 Long-Term Care Plan, long-term care covers services needed to help people with basic functions such as eating, dressing or bathing or tasks necessary for independent community living such as shopping, managing finances or house cleaning. These needs are being met at home, in the community, in congregate residences or in institutions.
The total demand for services in Connecticut for people 40 and older is expected to soar from 188,031 people in 2006 to 240,238 by 2030, a 28 percent increase, according to researchers at the UConn Health Center’s Center on Aging.
The website is continually updated and uses the United Way’s 2-1-1 Infoline database and other sources to provide information under the following headings:
What is long-term care?
Determining needs
Finding care and support
Paying for your needs
Places to live
Planning for long-term care
Rights and legal matters
Directory of providers
