If your loved one’s qualify the Idaho Medicaid program is an option for paying for senior home care services in Idaho. The Idaho Medicaid program can also fund other forms of long term care.

Idaho Medicaid Eligibility Requirements

• For a single person their income cannot be more than $689 a month, they can own one car and one house, and their assets cannot
  exceed $2000.
• For a married couple the income cap is $1378 a month, they can own one car and one house, and their assets cannot exceed more than $3000.
• Must be an Idaho resident.
• Must be a United States citizen or legal non-citizen.

If you would like more information about Idaho Medicaid eligibility or need help with a loved one or friend you can always call us at 1-866-273-2995, visit our Senior Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out this simple online form. Get Help Now!

Are you looking into the best options for funding long term care for yourself or a loved one? Chances are, if not now, there will come a time in the future when you’ll be seeking real options. Whether they are looking for elderly home care, an assisted living facility, or nursing home care, the majority of Americans will need help to maintain their day to day functions as they age. Ideally, socking away a small fortune to prepare for the inevitable is ideal. However, if this isn’t an option, there are valid alternatives to help fund long term care. In this post, we’ll be focusing on the Medicaid option. The purpose of this blog is to give a basic overview of Medicaid eligibility, benefits, and potential pitfalls.

Medicaid Eligibility

Medicaid is a jointly funded Federal and State program for individuals with low incomes and few resources. Since Medicaid is administered at the state level, eligibility criteria will vary depending on the state in which one lives. As a general rule, Medicaid recipients applying for long term care must meet the following criteria:

• Limited income. Income eligibility criteria will vary from state to state (long term care Medicaid for your State may have a higher income allowance than straight Medicaid).
• Limited assets. Most States limit assets to around $2,000, however an individual may own their home and a vehicle.
• Functional eligibility. In order to be eligible for long term care benefits, applicants must meet a certain criteria. Generally speaking, they must demonstrate that their is a true need for day to day assistance, that renders them unable to remain independent on their own.

To find out your state’s eligibility requirements, call your local Department of Human Services, or look them up online. Applications can almost always be printed from the websites and mailed in for your convenience.

Medicaid Benefits

So what benefits are available once an applicant has been qualified for Medicaid? For those who wish to remain in their homes, most states offer waiver programs which allow for an array of health care professionals to provide home care services to them in their private residences. These services include the provision of Personal Care Attendants, C.N.A.’s and Registered Nurses. Coupled with case management, these services allow for nearly every facet of senior home care to be provided, allowing maximum independence for the recipient. The trend in recent years has shifted towards long term care in a home and community based setting, allowing for both greater freedom of choice, and offsetting the mental anguish that can come from being uprooted from familiar settings. For those needing a higher level of care, Assisted Living Facilities, and Skilled Nursing Facilities are also available through Medicaid benefits.

Potential Medicaid Pitfalls

There are some important things to consider before applying for Medicaid for long term care. There is a look back period in which Medicaid will not only verify current assets, but all assets over the last 5 years. Simply put, it is not considered acceptable for considerable assets to disappear without coming under intense scrutiny. An experienced elder-law attorney can be utilized to assist families and individuals in setting up trusts and legitimately spending down their assets in order to meet eligibility requirements. Medicaid also has an estate recovery clause that mandates for individuals age 55 or older, states are required to seek recovery of payments from the individual’s estate for nursing facility services, and those enrolled in a Home and Community Based Services Waiver Program. A Medicaid recipient’s assets from his/her home will not be recovered while a spouse is living there. In addition setting up a survivorship deed for a spouse can exclude a home from being recovered even after the surviving spouse has passed.

Medicaid is a viable option for long term care. In many situations, the same level of quality care being provided to persons paying privately, or utilizing long-term care policies is available through Medicaid as well. Many in home senior care agencies, including many of your local Vida Certified Home Agencies accept Medicaid. In addition, thanks to more stringent regulation, the level of quality care at the Nursing Home level has increased across the board. If you are considering Medicaid as an option for long term care, please do your own due diligence, consider the benefits and drawbacks, speak to your local Department of Human Services, and consider all available options.

If you would like more information about Medicaid or need help with a loved one or friend you can always call us at 1-866-273-2995, visit our Senior Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out this simple online form. Get Help Now!

Bradi Ward, Client Care Manger for All Valley Senior Home Care in Walnut Creek, California shares a personal story about coping with her grandmother’s Alzheimer’s disease. As a Vida Certified Home Care Agency manager Bradi helps many family’s deal with their elder loved one’s Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder resulting in memory loss and changes with thinking, language and behavioral skills. It doesn’t go away and it’s not easy to deal with. This is when the saying “patience is a virtue” comes into play. Having to repeat yourself every three minutes can get tiring real quick. Although there are things you can do to help you get through these days a bit easier.

Keeping a routine is helpful because it creates habit and things just seem to go along easier. Traveling is hard to do because it takes you out of the routine causing confusion with your loved one; they don’t know if they are coming or going. Writing a note explaining in detail what is going on for the day is a very helpful tool we use with my grandma. We place it on her nightstand every night so she sees it when she wakes up everyday. She will still ask some questions but it gets her brain working because she reads it over and over until she starts telling you what’s happening for the day

If you would like more information about Alzheimer’s disease or need help with a loved one or friend you can always call us at 1-866-273-2995, visit our Senior Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out this simple online form. Get Help Now!

Denise Williams, Client Care Manger for All Valley Senior Home Care in Escondido, California shares some helpful information about elder abuse, mistreatment and neglect. As a Vida Certified Home Care Agency manager Denise is trained to look for the signs and prevent elder abuse to her clients.

Elder abuse is a problem that has no boundaries. It is the criminal mistreatment of an elderly person generally caused by someone known to the senior, although it can also be committed by anyone who preys on the vulnerability of a senior citizen. This type of abuse is often difficult to discover because it is generally committed by family members or close friends of the victim. Elders are more vulnerable to mistreatment due to several factors such as loneliness or diminishing physical or mental capacities. Elder abuse can take the form of or a combination of physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect or abandonment, self neglect, and or financial abuse.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is defined as the improper use of physical force that may or does result in bodily harm, injury, physical pain, or restraint of an individual. The existence of these warning signs doesn’t necessarily mean abuse has occurred, but should be construed as signs that an investigation may be required.

Examples of physical abuse include:

• Unexplained or incompatible injuries, lacerations, fractures, welts, bruises, discoloration or swelling.
• Pain or tenderness upon mere touch.
• Burns caused by cigarettes, hot water or ropes.
• Detached retina, bleeding or scalp wounds.
• Elder becomes withdrawn or protective of the suspect.
• Injuries that reflect the outline of an object such as a belt, hand, utensil, etc.

Emotional Abuse

The intentional or reckless infliction of psychological pain, injury, suffering or distress through verbal assaults, threats, humiliation, intimidation or isolation causing mental or emotional trauma or fear. This can be accomplished through exclusion from most outside contact causing the senior to distrust ultimately everyone except for the abuser. While damage inflicted by physical abuse may be obvious, the effects of psychological abuse are much more difficult to detect. Families and friends should always suspect and monitor the behavior of their senior loved one’s for emotional abuse if these warning signs are noticed:

• Unusually depressed and not acting like oneself.
• Confused or extremely forgetful.
• Unexplained mood changes and anger.
• Fear of being touched or approached by others.
• Unusually withdrawn and introverted, afraid or secretive.
• Hesitant to speak freely.

Neglect or Abandonment

The desertion or failure to provide the care and treatment or safety of an elderly person by an individual responsible for providing their care. This includes failure to provide shelter, food, clothing, medical care, personal hygiene or even help with activities of daily living. Again, with this type of mistreatment, it is often times difficult to detect. The following are possible reasons to suspect there may be an occurrence of neglect happening.

• Poor skin condition, dirty or foul smelling.
• Dirty, uncombed or matted hair.
• Malnourished or dehydrated.
• Sudden unexplained weight loss.
• Lack of necessities, including eyeglasses, dentures, prostheses, hearing aids, canes, walkers or other critical items.

Self Neglect

Self-neglect is the personal behavior or inability of an elder that threatens his or her own health or safety who does not have care provided to them by someone else. Self neglect is not a crime, however if you suspect a senior is not getting the proper care required it should be reported so that authorities can assist them in obtaining the help they need.

Financial Abuse

The illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets or the conversion or misappropriation of such property for uses other than for those of the elder. Almost all of us have heard or read stories or may even know of an elderly person who has become the victim of financial abuse. A family member or friend who was responsible for the elder’s best interest suddenly sells their home and property. Keeping all of the money for themselves and leaving very little for the senior to live from thereby decreasing their quality of life. This is a tragic occurrence that happens all too often in the lives of the elderly.

Warning signs that an elder may have been taken advantage of financially:

• Unusual bank account activity (withdrawals from ATM’s).
• Signatures on checks that do not resemble the account owners.
• Checks or legal documents signed when the elder cannot write or understand.
• Numerous unpaid bills when someone else has been designated to pay the bills.
• Changes in spending patterns or items purchased they do not use.
• The appearance of a stranger who tries to begin a close relationship.

Elder abuse is often times subtle and as such, the abuser often relies on the vulnerability of the individual as well as the reluctance of outsiders to address any questions of mental capacity, consent or undue influence. If you suspect that a family member, friend or neighbor is being abused in any way, it is always best to error on the side of caution. Please report all possible elder abuse to the proper authorities, visit the National National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse or call Adult Protective Services.

If you would like more information about elder abuse or need help with a loved one or friend you can always call us at 1-866-273-2995, visit our Senior Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out this simple online form. Get Help Now!