A Guide to Resources

Here are some resources for information on living options and other assistance for widows.

* The Eldercare Locator, (800) 677-1116, is a toll-free number that links seniors and their families to information and resources nationwide, including home-delivered meals, transportation, legal assistance, adult day care, social and recreational activities, senior-center programs and nursing-home ombudsmen. The service operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

* Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles, (213) 852-7720, covers all of Los Angeles County and offers a range of services for seniors at all income levels. Under various auspices, the agency can provide case management, grief counseling and support groups, health services and referrals for in-home support and care.

The agency’s Protective Services offers money-management counseling, including legal and real estate advisors, to seniors of any income, for a fee. It also provides resources for seniors no longer capable of handling their assets.

* The Handy Worker Program, (213) 389-2373, Ext. 256, provides free help with home repairs such as painting, minor plumbing and minor electrical work to qualifying low-income senior homeowners in parts of Los Angeles.

The program covers Central Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Westchester, Venice Beach and the Mar Vista Area, and the agency can provide referrals to similar programs in other areas. The program, part of an agency called PACE, is funded by the city of Los Angeles.

* Center for Healthy Aging, (310) 829-4715, offers an array of services for seniors on the Westside of Los Angeles, including physical health screening, mental health treatment, money-management services and support groups.

* The Senior Care Network of Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, (818) 397-3110 or (800) 664-4664, serves the San Gabriel Valley, providing case management and offering resources that can help seniors stay in their homes--or investigate the options if they choose to move.

* Alternative Living for the Aging, (213) 650-7988, is a West Hollywood-based organization that runs five cooperative apartment communities for low-income seniors and provides a service that matches seniors with others seeking shared living situations.

* Home Secure, (213) 937-5855 or (818) 762-5892, a program of Jewish Family Service, assists low-income homeowners or renters with free home security services such as installing locks, peepholes and grab bars. The service is offered in the San Fernando Valley, West Hollywood and Burbank and is not limited to seniors.

* The Widowed Persons Service of the American Assn. of Retired Persons offers a variety of free brochures. Titles include “Staying at Home: A Guide to Long-Term Care and Housing” (stock No. D14986), “On Being Alone: Guide for Widowed Persons” (No. D150), “So Many of My Friends Have Moved Away or Died” (No. D13831) and “Knowing the Facts About the Use of Medications During Bereavement” (No. D13503).

To order any of the brochures, write to AARP Fulfillment (EE01135), 601 E St. N.W., Washington, DC 20077-1214, giving the name and stock number of the publication.

* In-Home Support Services is a combined federal-state-county government program that provides financial aid to qualifying seniors (as well as the disabled and visually impaired of any age) for assistance to help them stay in their home.

To locate it in a particular county, look in the government pages under the county and then under “Health and Human Services” or “Health.” The nationwide Eldercare Locator at (800) 677-1116 can also provide local numbers.