Autumn Leaves

COMMUNITY PROGRAM FOCUS: SOMERVILLE-CAMBRIDGE ELDER SERVICE
The September Community Resource Center presentation was on elder services provided by state homecare corporations. Dwayne Morales, information specialist and Lois Stillman, Director of Health Services at Somerville-Cambridge Elder Service spoke and gave out handouts outlining eligibility and services provided. Some highlights follow.

There are 27 homecare corporations throughout the state- now referred to as Aging Service Access Points or ASAPs. They are listed in your resource manual and in IRis. The main program- the Home Care program can provide a limited package (generally 2-3 hours/week) of services including homemaking, personal care, home delivered meals, home adaptations, personal emergency response systems (like "Lifeline"), transportation, medical escorts, and grocery shopping. To be eligible a single person must have an annual income of less than $18,219. For a couple (any two people living together) the income limit is $25,781. The applicant must also be 60 years old, or 55 and have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or similar dementia, AND the applicant must require help or supervision with 5 of the following ADLs and IADLs, one of which must be from Group 1 in the column below:

GROUP 1

GROUP 2

Bathing

Housework

Dressing

Dressing

Eating

Taking Medications

Toileting

Laundry

Ambulating Inside

Ambulating Outside

Transferring (bed to chair)

Using the Telephone

Incontinence Management

Meal Preparation

Grocery shopping

Transportation
(if for chemo, radiation, dialysis, counts as
left hand column)

Once approved for services the applicant should be prepared to pay a sliding fee of from $5/month to $105/month for the services provided.

The Respite program provides support for a caregiver of an elder. It might be in the form of a one-time nursing home stay so the caregiver can go on vacation or it might be a weekly day at adult day health care, or homemaking or personal care at home. There is no income limit, though with increasing income the caregiver would pay for increasing percentage of the cost of services. For example, at the income cut-off for homecare services for a two-person household of $25,781, the caregiver would pay 27% of the cost of respite service. This percentage gradually increases up to 100% of the cost at a combined income of $40, 520. For a copy of the complete income/percentage grid, please contact the CRC.

Another program discussed was the Group Adult Foster Care. It helps younger adults, those 22 and over who live in congregate living or subsidized housing building. To be eligible the applicant must be MassHealth eligible, willing to accept services 6 days a week (generally 2 hours a day) and need one ADL impairment. For further explanation, see the, January 1997 MGH Community News story on Boston Partner’s in Care’s Homepower program (Page 2). This program is not available through all of the ASAPs.

There are some other programs, which under certain circumstances allow additional service to be provided. Intake staff is trained to evaluate for these programs, so if in doubt call the ASAP in your patient’s community. Social Workers can call the CRC for additional general information.


9/98