A new web resource for seniors, persons with disabilities and their families that just came on-line recently will be a great benefit. "It’s a resource with great potential to help people," according to Aging and Veteran Services Advisory Council member and physician David Nardone. The Oregon Network of Care Web site (http://www.oregon.networkofcare.org/) contains information on local resources, articles on a tremendous variety of topics related to aging and disabilities, including information on medical conditions, legislative advocacy resources and a special feature that enables each user to create their own "Folder," according to Nardone. This Folder can save articles and personal medical information in one single highly secure resource. There are also daily news articles from around the world concerning aging and disabilities.
Says Nardone, "It has great potential for storing personal health records, all in one place." The personal medical information portion of the Web site enables people to put all their information, personal diagnoses, medications, medical facilities, insurance information, contact persons and emergency information, in one place where they can authorize their care providers to see everything that’s needed. Nardone notes, "if your traveling and need to see a doctor, by allowing access to your records, the doctor can see all the pertinent information."
It’s also useful for family members who have to care for someone at a distance. Once the information is entered, users can authorize their family members to have access to some or all of the information.
Network of Care’s personal information section, "is an integrated element in a larger system of information, making it a great tool to learn things that are relevant to a condition," Nardone added.
The system is also available to individuals and families in two dialects of Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese and Russian.
Oregon Network of Care is the first outcome of Senate Bill 870, passed by the 2005 Oregon Legislature, to "modernize" Oregon Project Independence to provide services vital to keep seniors and persons with disabilities in their own homes. The Web site is a cooperative project of the Oregon Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities (O4AD) and the Department of Human Services – Seniors and Persons with Disabilities (SPD).
Washington County Disability, Aging and Veteran Services (DAVS) works to create options for older persons, people with disabilities and veterans to improve the quality of their lives and to enable persons to live as independently as they can for as long as possible. This involves assessing needs; planning and coordinating services; developing services, advocating for their needs; and delivering and monitoring cost effective social and health services. DAVS may be reached at 503-640-3489 or by e-mail through its Web site: www.co.washington.or.us/aging.