Helping Elders Live Safely at Home Good Options for Home & Community-Based Services

Helping Elders LiveSafely at HomeGood Options for Home & Community-Based Services

RI Executive Office of Health and Human Services

Purpose

This presentation provides information

about services available in the state

of Rhode Island that help elders live

safely at home and in the community.

Some of these services are partly or

fully subsidized by the state or federal

government.

Topics

How to determine when help is needed

How to plan ahead

Services available for home and community-based care

How to find the services listed in this video

How to determine an elder's eligibility for help from the State

Other resources

Many elders can live at home safely, but it is important to know when they need help.

The terms “activities of daily living (ADLs)” and “instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)” describe how well a person does everyday tasks.

• Activities of daily living can include dressing, eating or bathing.

• Instrumental activities of daily living canrefer to doing housework or making meals.

Knowing When Help is Needed

Difficulty with some of these activities can signal that the person needs help to live at home.

This help is often given by friends and family, but many organizations can help too.

Knowing When Help is Needed(cont’d)

Before your loved one leaves the hospital, you should speak with medical staff about what services will be needed.

Write down any questions you may have.

Try to get an emergency phone number for you to call after discharge.

Plan Ahead

When possible, start setting up some of the services that are listed later in this presentation.

• For example, you can get a referral for a visiting nurse or other home care services before discharge.

• Some services require a waiting time, so get started early.

Get the home ready by arranging for equipment rental or home modifications, such as rerouting the telephone wire or installing a ramp.

Plan Ahead (cont’d)

Help with household tasks includes:

Grocery shopping

Meal preparation

Laundry

Light housekeeping

Homemaker Services

Have someone help for a few hours each week or each day with activities such as:

Eating

Help getting in and out of bed

Bathing

Dressing

Grooming

Home Health Aide

Home health care is more medically oriented than homemaker services. This kind of care usually involves helping people recover from an illness or injury.

Home health care may include:

• Services of a nurse

• Certain types of therapy, such as physical, speech or occupational therapy

• Medical equipment, such as a walker or wheelchair

Home Health Care

A medical alert system connects patients to a trained professional who can send help quickly in the event of an emergency, such as a bad fall.

This medical lifeline service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Personal EmergencyResponse System

Volunteers provide companionship in the community to homebound elders at home, an adult day center and at assisted living residences.

The companion programs are:

Senior Companions

Neighborhood Friendly Visitors

Companions

Your loved one’s home may need some changes to make it safer and more accessible.

• Some changes are simple and inexpensive.

• Some changes may be more involved.

Get a professional assessment of the home. Your elder’s doctor can give you a referral to an occupational therapist who specializes in home modifications.

Environmental Modifications

Good nutrition is very important to health and independence.

Meals on Wheels• If an elder can’t leave home or prepare meals,

a nutritious lunch can be delivered.

Meals at senior centers and other locations• Nutritious meals are offered at many sites

throughout Rhode Island. • Transportation to the nearest site may be available.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can provide extra money each month to buy food.

Food Assistance

Elders can get help paying for part of the cost of some prescription drugs.

There are several programs that can help with this, such as:• Medicare Part D• Rhode Island Pharmaceutical

Assistance to the Elderly (RIPAE)• URI Pharmacy Outreach Program

The Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) program can advise people on sources of help.

The VA helps veterans pay for prescriptions.

Prescription Drug Assistance

This is a day program that offers care and companionship to elders who need assistance or supervision during the day. At the end of the day, the elder returns home.

Elders can have a meal, enjoy recreational activities, and get help with medication, health and personal care services.

Services are offered weekdays and some weekends.

Special programs are often available for people with dementia.

Adult day centers are a safe place to meet new people and enjoy the company of others.

Adult Day Services

If an elder is feeling lonely in the current home, or experiencing failing health, assisted living may be a good solution.

Assisted living has small apartments residents can furnish with their own belongings. It provides 24-hour support, supervision, meals, housekeeping and personal care.

There is a common dining room where meals are served, and activity areas for socializing.

Assistance with medications is provided.

Assisted Living

The level of care may be elevated as needed, adding services such as help with dressing or bathing.

Some residences can take care of people with special dementia needs.

This living arrangement is good for elders who may need help with activities of daily living, but do not need intensive medical care.

Assisted Living (cont’d)

Shared living is a new option for adults who cannot live alone and require a considerable amount of help with activities of daily living.• It provides a home-like setting for people who want to continue

living in the community as long as possible.

A Shared Living Agency will help find an appropriate host home/caregiver.• The Agency will match the elder with a caregiver and will make

sure the caregiver receives all needed training and support.• The caregiver may be someone the elder knows, like a relative,

neighbor or friend. (He or she cannot be a spouse.)

Shared Living

If you are a caregiver, you may need to be reminded to take care of yourself. Caregivers often feel isolated, and the added stress can hurt your health.

Getting help to take care of your loved one is not a luxury.• It is necessary time off to take of yourself so that you have

more energy for your caregiver role.

Examples of respite care:• Adult day services• Homemaker services• Home health care• Overnight stays in licensed facilities

Respite Care

When a nursing home is the best option, it is important that you visit potential facilities, take a tour and meet with the staff.

You can use state and federal websites to help you find safe, comfortable nursing homes that you can visit.

Nursing Home

The “Choosing a Nursing Home” section of the R.I. Department of Health website helps you think about personal needs and how to narrow your choices.• www.health.ri.gov/nursinghomes/about/choosing/index.php

Go to www.medicare.gov and select “Nursing Homes” under “Resource Locator”. This will take you to the Nursing Home Compare page so you can search by area. (Data gathered by our state inspectors are fed into this national system.)

Print the Nursing Home Checklist from the Medicare website to take with you when you visit.

Nursing Home (cont’d)

Receiving help from the state depends on your:• Level of need• Income and other assets

To get more information, contact The POINT.• (401) 462-4444 or (401) 462-4445 TTY • www.thepointri.org

Veterans and their spouses may qualify for the Aid and Attendance benefit available through the U.S. Veterans Administration.• (800) 827-1000

Eligibility

For information on these and many other services, contact The POINT:• (401) 462-4444 or (401) 462-4445 TTY • www.thepointri.org

Learn about RIPTA’s transportation services for elders. • www.ripta.com/programs/senior.php

Regardless of your faith, elder services such as respite care are available from the Diocese of Providence. (401) 421-7833, ext 106

• www.dioceseofprovidence.org/?id=118

Other Resources

The Alliance for Better Long Term Care provides information and recommendations for adult day centers, assisted living and nursing homes.• (401) 785-3340 or (888) 351-0808

If you are having a problem with any long-term care service, contact the Ombudsman Program at:• Alliance for Better Long Term Care at (401) 785-3340 or

(888) 351-0808• www.LtcOmbudsman.org

Other Resources (cont’d)

For any matter involving dementia, contact the Alzheimer’s Association.

• (401) 421-0008 or www.alz-ri.org

A Family Caregiver’s Guide to Hospital Discharge Planning helps caregivers and patients.

• www.caregiving.org/pubs/brochures/familydischargeplanning.pdf

The Family Caregiver Alliance is a clearinghouse for caregiver information. • www.caregiver.org

Other Resources (cont’d)

State and federal agencies:

Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs• (401) 462-3000 or www.dea.ri.gov

Rhode Island Department of Human Services• (401) 462-5300 or www.dhs.ri.gov

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services• (877) 696-6775 or www.hhs.gov

Other Resources (cont’d)

There are many services to help you and the elder you care for.

Rosalynn Carter said, “There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”

You Are Not Alone