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Tag: Eldercare Locator

  • Do you know about these free and low-cost benefits?

    Do you know about these free and low-cost benefits?

    Judith Graham reports for Kaiser Health News on several programs that offer free and low-cost benefits to help older adults cover the cost of basic needs. Today, millions of people are not taking advantage of them. Here’s how to get some of these benefits.

    There are literally thousands of programs intended to help older adults pay for health care, food, transportation and housing, among other needs. Some are targeted to people with low incomes and assets and others are open to everyone.

    How can you learn about these programs? Contact your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA). To reach your AAA, visit the Eldercare Locator, a service of the federal Administration on Aging, or call 800-677-1116.

    Reach out now! Plan ahead. Know what’s available and how to apply. Check out these federal programs:

    • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides help paying for food. But, it is estimated that more than 13 million people over 60 who could benefit from SNAP–71 percent of those eligible–are not receiving this help. Benefits for single older adults are typically over $100 a month.
    • Medicare Savings Programs provide help paying Medicare premiums, and sometimes also deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. The benefit is worth more than $170 a month. But. around three million eligible older adults  are not receiving these benefits. They are available through your Medicaid office.
    • Help paying Medicare Part D prescription drug costs is available through the Low-income Subsidy (LIS) program, sometimes called the Extra Help program. This benefit can be worth more than $400 a month. But, more than three in ten older adults are not receiving this help.
    • Federally Qualified Health Centers offer free and low-cost primary health care services. They are located in thousands of places throughout the US.

    You might also qualify for:

    • Home-delivered meals.
    • Legal assistance for older adults facing foreclosures and evictions.
    • Property tax break programs.
    • Home Energy Assistance Program or HEAP, which helps to pay your electric bills.

    Here’s more from Just Care:

  • How can a geriatric care manager help?

    How can a geriatric care manager help?

     As people get older, they may need a wide range of health care services and supports. A geriatric care manager, who is usually a licensed social worker or nurse trained in geriatrics, can help you meet those needs. How can a geriatric care manager help?

    Geriatric care managers are trained to identify people’s needs and locate the resources to meet them. They also will help you with a long-term care plan so you or the person you love can be as independent and safe as possible when they are unable to take care of all of their everyday needs without assistance.

    If different family members do not live near one another, a geriatric care manager can keep everyone up to date on their loved ones’ needs. They are prepared to talk to you and your loved ones about difficult issues, visit your loved ones to ensure their needs are met, help modify your loved ones’ homes, find care providers and coordinate medical services. The PACE program, for example, provides a wide range of services to help keep people who would otherwise need nursing home care in their homes.

    And, if need be, a geriatric care manager can help find an alternate living facility. There are a wide range of options, including cutting edge small nursing homes, sometimes called green houses, continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities.

    You likely will need to pay out of pocket for a geriatric care manager. Medicare does not cover the cost, nor do most other insurers.

    If you are interested in finding a geriatric care manager, as a first step, check online at the Eldercare Locator or call 800-677-1116. You should make sure that the person you hire is licensed and has experience. Ideally, your geriatric care manager can be of service in an emergency.  Of course, also ask how much the geriatric care manager charges and for references. You should be given the fees in writing.

    For more information, you can visit Aging Life Care Association, the trade association for geriatric care managers, here, or you can call them at 520-881-8008.

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