The new program not only aims to improve the quality of care, but also to help reduce stress and to save the state money.

The task facing Maryann Duke seemed daunting -- call a bunch of nursing homes to find one that could care for her husband with Alzheimer's disease for a short time so she could visit their daughters in Seattle. 

"I manage things pretty well, but this, I've been putting it off," said Duke, 66, of Shoreview. "It wears me out just thinking about it." 

Turns out, the state of Minnesota wants to help Duke and thousands of others who care for aging relatives. 

Minnesotans can plug information about themselves or a relative into a new, interactive computer tool and find nearby options for service and housing. 

The tool is at carechoices.minnesotahelp.info. 

When caregivers get the help they need, they give better help to relatives and face less of the stress that afflicts most caregivers. Ultimately, officials say, they may save the state money. 

So instead of poring through the phone book last week, Duke sat at her computer and dived into the Internet site assembled by the Minnesota Board on Aging and University of Minnesota researchers. 

In a half-hour, she had found a nursing home offering a short-term stay for her husband, Gary Duke, 66. The co-founder of the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota retired in 2000. 

The program that helps computer-savvy seniors and their families is called Long-Term Care Choices. With the 17-step questionnaire, users can probe for a specific type of service -- help with housekeeping, transportation or grocery shopping, for instance. Or they can spend more time and explore a wide range of aging issues. 

"Many caregivers know some services that can help them, but very few know as much as they'd like," said Krista Boston, head of consumer advocacy for the Minnesota Board on Aging. 

"We want people to use this program to make a comprehensive assessment of the issues they face," she said. "Some people will find solutions to problems they weren't even thinking about." 

Giving caregivers confidence 

Designers say Long-Term Care Choices is one of the most sophisticated interactive computer programs available for caregivers of the elderly. 

State planners note that aging Minnesotans receive about 90 percent of their care from families, and each percentage point drop in caregiving work by those relatives costs the state about $30 million in Medicaid and other services. 

"Our goal is to help consumers and their families make more confident choices that lead to appropriate placement and better health outcomes," said Robert Kane, director of the university's Center on Aging. 

For instance, it can help a family decide when an aging relative might be served by moving to an assisted-living apartment or even a nursing home. 

The website was developed by combining information from the state with a decision-making program created by the university. It took three years to develop and was funded by a $740,000 federal grant. 

A newer version of the program will come online later this year to help professionals assist those who do not have Internet access. 

"We have a rich system of services, especially in the metro area," said Alex Bartolic, Hennepin County manager for aging and disability services and a leader of the project. "But for many caregivers who need help, the question is where do you start?" 

Alzheimer's taking its toll 

Maryann Duke attends a monthly caregiver group that offers emotional and practical support from spouses dealing with dementia. She has experts on aging as neighbors. And she works two days a week as a floral arranger at a nearby garden center, which is possible because her husband attends an adult day care program daily. 

"Gary is such a great guy, but the Alzheimer's is taking its toll on him now," she said. 

And on her. 

"I've learned that figuring out how to get help before I get in a crisis is what I really need," she said. "That's where this new Internet program may help me the most."

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