Where Can I Get Information on Services for Older Adults?…
What’s the Difference Between Registered and Certified Mail?
Q: Is there any resource you can recommend that offers information about caring for an older family member? My mother is disabled, and I’m getting frustrated looking for services.
Asa: Try the Family Care Navigator, a new service the National Center on Caregiving at the San Francisco based Family Caregiver Alliance. The comprehensive online guide can help consumers caring for older or disabled adults find government, nonprofit and private caregiver support programs in all 50 states. It includes information on government health and disability programs, legal resources, living arrangements, disease-specific organizations, frequently asked questions and more. Best of all, there is no charge to use the service. If you’re considering a nursing home, check the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website. Of special interest is its listing of 134 “special focus facilities”—a euphemism for homes with a history of poor performance or repeated violations of health and safety rules. The list is located in the downloads section on the website. Click on Special Focus Facility Background Info and List - Updated 4/23/08.

Q: Say I want to send a letter to my credit card company to dispute a charge. Should I send the letter by certified mail or registered mail?
Asa: Good question, since many people are confused about the difference between the two. Registered mail is for sending valuable or irreplaceable items through the mail. It’s designed for items like jewelry, stock certificates and things with sentimental value. The items are under security from the point of mailing to the point of delivery, and insured up to $25,000 against loss or damage. The cost starts at $10, plus regular postage. Certified Mail provides proof of mailing and the date and time of delivery or attempted delivery. The cost starts at $2.70, plus regular postage. If you’re disputing an item on your credit card, certified mail is the service you want. If you only need proof that you mailed an envelope, not that it was actually received, you can just buy a certificate of mailing, which costs only $1.10 in addition to regular postage.

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