Find out about Long-Term Care, who needs it, and how to find it. ConsumersAdvocate.org rates what it considers the best LTC services. Long-Term Care insurance can often pay for home care, skilled nursing, and other services. Plans must be carefully researched, as their service options and costs vary considerably.

Medicare recipients, under certain circumstances, may be eligible for “part-time or intermittent home health aide services (personal hands-on care)” via Home Health Services. Medicare can cover Home Health Aide Care. I have worked as a resource navigator for years, and customers have discussed receiving bathing services, but have never told me that they have received any other benefit of home health aid services. This helpful resource demystifies the topic of Home Health Aid Services as a benefit of Medicare insurance and provides helpful tips about how to go about advocating for and locating home health aid services. For local Medicare help, contact the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) nearest you.

“Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.” For those who qualify for Medicaid insurance, Medicaid (program name varies by state) can cover costs, such as in-home care provider support, adult day care, and care at a skilled nursing facility. Medicaid recipients may apply for an Assisted Living Waiver (waiver names vary by state) to pay for care at an Assisted Living Facility; however, not all regions have or accept Assisted Living waivers to pay for Assisted Living, and unlike Medicaid for long-term care at a skilled nursing facility, which is an entitlement program, Medicaid waivers limit the number of people who can receive services, limit their services to certain regions, or to those with specific medical diagnosis, so one may be waitlisted for services. (Medicaid Planning Assistance, https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/definitions/#hcbs). See Paying for Senior Care’s Medicaid & Assisted Living: State by State Benefits & Eligibility.

Locate Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) information by state at CMS.gov

Learn more about Getting Paid as a Caregiver by Medicaid (medicaidplanningassistance.org). See also: Can I get paid to care for a family member? – Family Caregiver Alliance.

Paying for Senior Care makes it possible for people to identify quality, affordable home care, assisted living, nursing homes, memory care, adult day care, and adult foster homes by region. Caring, LLC is a lead senior care referral service, which operates the website Paying for Senior Care, which provides excellent resource information in regard to “Financial Assistance & Funding Options for Assisted Living / Senior Living ”

AgingCare provides Free Senior Care Guides, including:

Complete a Medicaid Eligibility Test / Pre-Screen for Long Term Care (for those in the U.S. who are 65 years or older). Learn about Medicaid and how to apply for service, regardless of age.

The company also provides readers with a number of helpful tools, including an “Eldercare Financial Assistance Locator” tool.

Tips to Keep Loved Ones at Home and What Medicaid Will Pay For

State Specific Medicaid Eligibility Requirements

See A Place for Mom for information about state Medicaid websites and Medicaid Waivers Directories

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

PACE may be provided by Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in areas where the programs are located. They are not located in all states, nor in all regions of participating states. PACE Programs are called LIFE Programs. PACE is an acronym for Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly and LIFE is an acronym for Living Independence for the Elderly. Per CMS.gov, “PACE provides comprehensive medical and social services to certain frail, elderly people (participants) still living in the community. Most of the participants who are in PACE are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.”

SERVICES FOR ELIGIBLE VETERANS

AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKAN NATIVE PROGRAMS

“The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Technical Assistance Center guides American Indian and Alaska Native programs in planning and implementing programs to care for their elders and people with disabilities.”

ADULT DAYCARE PROGRAMS

The Eldercare Locator is a search tool one may use to determine which adult day programs are available in your area.

RESPITE CARE PROGRAMS

Family Caregiver Alliance

Alzheimer’s Association: Respite care: 24/7 Helpline – 1-800-272-3900

HELP FOR CAREGIVERS

Caregiver Resources – (lowincomesurvivorstothrivers.com)