Home and Community Based Services, or HCBS, is a Colorado Medicaid program that allows eligible individuals to remain in a home setting with an array of services in place. These services promote independence at home and can delay or even take the place of the need for your loved one being institutionalized. Depending on the individual need, the HCBS waiver programs can allow for the following services:

• senior home care services
• skilled nursing visits
• C.N.A. visits
• a lifeline installation
• medical and non-medical transportation
• adult day care
• timed medication dispensers

Income & Resource Eligibility for Medicaid in Colorado

The individual income cap for an individual applying for Long Term Care Medicaid is $2,022 per month. If the individual makes more than that number an “income trust” may be set-up . This will allow individuals exceeding the state limits to still participate in the program, albeit ultimately at a greater monetary cost to them. In addition to the $2,022 per month, an individual may not have more than $2,000 in countable assets.

An important factor to consider when applying for Long term care is that only the applicant’s income is counted. This allows for a married couple to have one person apply and the individual’s, not the couples total income is counted. Additionally, that individual still needs to meet the $2000 in countable assets, but their spouse can keep up to $109,560 in countable resources.
Finally, if both spouses will be applying for Medicaid, they may have only up to $4000 in countable resources.

Functional Medicaid Eligibility in Colorado

Meeting the financial eligibility for Long Term Care Medicaid in Colorado is only the first of two steps. A functional assessment is performed by the specific county’s Single Entry Point Agency (SEPA). It is the duty of the person performing this assessment to determine whether or not there is a functional need for services to be provided. The amount of home care services, for example, will be determined by the initial assessment, and is available for review as conditions change.

How to Apply for Colorado Medicaid

Colorado Medicaid applications can be found online. Click Medicaid once the main page has appeared. Applications can then be submitted to the Department of Human/Social Services. You can also contact the local Vida office for assistance applying for Colorado Medicaid or with Senior Home Care Services in Denver at 303.252.4477.

If you would like assistance or more information you can always call us at 1.866.775.0028, visit our Senior Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out this simple online form. Get Help Now!

Anna Graefon, Client Care Manager for All Valley Senior Home Care in Escondido, California revisits a past post on the Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Pension program.

The Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Improved Pension program helps veterans and their spouses by giving them a monthly benefit to assist with their activities of daily living (ADLs) when the regular assistance of another person is required. More and more the elderly are seeking senior home care services but they can not afford the cost of being taken care of in the comfort of their own home. This benefit has been around for the past 58 years and is an entitlement to veterans and their surviving spouses.

Qualifying for Veteran’s Home Care Benefits

• Is not dependent upon service-related injuries.
• Calculate the veteran’s and/or surviving spouse’s assets (make sure not include value of their primary residence & vehicle). This will give you an estimate of total liquidatable assets. Then estimate the annual income of the veteran and/or surviving spouse. This will give an estimate for total income (If married include spousal income). Then, list all unreimbursed, recurring health care expenses. Last, subtract your total annual health care expenses from your total annual income and write the amount. This is your countable income.
• Veteran: A veteran alone must have countable income less than: $19,736 per year. 
A veteran with a spouse must have countable income less than: $23,396 per year.
• Surviving Spouse: A spouse alone must have countable income less than: $12,681 per year. A spouse with a dependent must have countable income less than: $15,128 per year.
• Discharged under “General under Honorable” or “Honorable”.
• Served at least one day during the following periods and had 90 days of continuous military service:
  • World War II: December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946
  • Korean War: June 27, 1950 through January 31, 1955
  • Vietnam War: August 5, 1964
    (February 28, 1961, for veterans who served “in country” before August 5, 1964), through May 7, 1975
  • Gulf War: August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law of Presidential Proclamation

Maximum Annual Aid and Attendance Pension Rate

• Veteran: $19728 annually, $1644 monthly
• Surviving Spouse: $12,660 annually, $monthly
• Veteran Married to Another Veteran: $30960 annually, $2580 monthly

*These rates increase annually

If you would like assistance or more information you can always call us at 1.866.775.0028, visit our Senior Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out this simple online form. Get Help Now!

The Nevada Medicaid Program provides qualifying Nevada residents assistance paying for long term care costs such as senior home care services, home nursing services, doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescriptions.* Specific Nevada Medicaid coverage is determined by age, income and qualifying disability.

*Pending Providers

Eligibility for Medicaid Coverage in Nevada

• Income must be less than $800 a month if single.
• Income must be less than $1200 a month for a couple.
• Less than $2000 in liquid assets.
• You can own a house and a car.

If you would like more information about Medicaid coverage and eligibility for the state of Nevada 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!

A new Washington State consumer law has passed that requires life insurance companies to inform their policy holders that they have a legal right to a life insurance settlement. This new law applies to all Washington State residents who hold life insurance policies. The law states that policy holders have the legal right to sell thier policy through what is called a “life insurance settlement”.

The reason for the new law is that research shows that 90 percent of life insurance policies are allowed to lapse or are surrendered for little to no cash value (this means that the insurance companies are cancelling the policies and giving nothing to the holder who has done all of the paying). As a policy holder you may sell your policy through a life settlement and can recieve up to 500% more than the cash value!

The law also forbids the Insurance company from interfering with the settlement. Currently the law has only been passed in Maine and Washington but is being looked at closely by other states.

Life settlements are a great option for seniors and baby boomers who are facing financial challenges because of our economy. Selling a policy can help pay for things such as senior home care, assisted living facility care, and senior housing.

If you would like to learn more about life insurance settlements 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!

Article by Michael Drake of All Valley Home Care. All Valley provides senior home care services in Spokane, Washington.

Working in senior home care in Boise, Idaho with the elderly I have noticed that one of the most important things for seniors to maintain good health is staying active within the community.  One of the benefits of using senior home care services is the ability to stay in the comfort of your own home while receiving care. For some, this might be difficult because they find that they are home alone often. Finding a senior activity center near you will help cure the lonely bug. Senior centers are offered throughout many different areas and provide a variety of activities.

Senior Center Activities

• Dancing
• Exercise classes
• After noon meals
• Legal counsel
• Health screening
• Games

If you would like assistance finding a center or more information 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!

Article by Nicole Ashford of TLC Home Health Care & Nursing. TLC provides senior home care services in Boise, Idaho.

Maria Lopez, Administrator for All Valley Senior Home Care in El Centro, California, shares valuable information about paying for home care for veterans.

Are you a disabled veteran who is looking for funding to help afford senior home care? If so you may qualify for the Aid & Attendance Pension Benefit.

V.A. Aid & Attendance Program

The V.A. Aid and Attendance Pension provides funding for in home senior care to veterans and their surviving spouse who require the help of another person for assistance with bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, food preparation and other personal activities required in everyday living. The benefit also covers assisted living facility care, care for individuals who are blind, and nursing home care because of a mental or physical incapacity.

The Aid & Attendance pension can provide up to $1,632 per month to a veteran, $1,055 per month to a surviving spouse, or $1,949 per month to a couple.

The Veterans Administration has deemed the Aid & Attendance program an under-used benefit. Although this benefit has in fact been an entitlement for over 58 years it remains widely unused; Millions of veterans have and are still are missing out on assistance with home care services.

Qualifying for Veterans Care Benefits

• You served at least 90 days of active military services, 1 day of which was during a wartime period. If you entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally you must have served at lease 24 months or the full period for which called or order to active duty.
• You were discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Your countable family income is below a yearly limit set by congress.
• Your assets should not exceed $80,000 excluding your home and your vehicle.
• If younger than 65, the veteran must be totally disabled. If age 65 and older, there is no requirement for disability. There is no disability requirement for a single surviving spouse.

V.A. Income Thresholds

The Aid & Attendance income threshold for a veteran without dependents is now $19,736 annually. The threshold increases to $23,396 with the first dependent and by $2.020 for each additional dependent. The annual Aid & Attendance income threshold for a surviving spouse alone is $12,681. The threshold increases to $15,128 if the spouse has one dependent and by $2,020 for each additional dependent. Remember the V.A. will adjust your countable income by adjusting for medical expenses that have not been reimbursed

Many elderly veterans and surviving spouses whose incomes are above the congressionally mandated legal limit for pension may still be eligible for the special monthly Aid & Attendance benefit if they have large medical expenses (including nursing home care) for which they do not receive reimbursement.

If you are unsure if you meet all the criteria, would like assistance or more information about veterans care benefits 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!

Maria Lopez, Administrator for All Valley Home Care in Brawley, California, shares some helpful information about planning for the future. As a senior home care provider Maria advises and educates her clients about senior care options, including planning for future health care needs.

Even if you are doing well now, it is a good idea to prepare for a time when you might not be able to care for yourself on your own. It is best not to wait until you are in a crisis and assume your health care provider and family will know what you want. Having a plan in place will save your loved ones the stress of making those hard decisions for you; The plan will ensure your wishes are respected when the time comes.

In some states, hospital staff must keep you alive as long as possible if they don’t know your wishes. This may or may not be what you want. Without a written plan, choices about your care may be made by a health care provider or even by the courts.

The best way to make sure your health care wishes are followed is by putting them in writing. A written plan for your health care is called an Advance Directive. This is only used when you become so sick that you can’t make choices yourself.

Types of Advance Directives

• Living will: tells what treatment you want at the end of your life.
• Durable power of attorney for healthcare: lets you choose someone who can make choices for you if the time comes when you can’t make them yourself.

How to Write an Advance Directive

Get a copy of your state’s forms for a living will and a durable power of attorney. You can usually get them from a hospital, law office, or senior center or even online at www.CaringInfo.org.

Choose someone to be your health care agent, which is the person you want to speak for you when you can’t speak for yourself. Make sure the person you choose is someone you can trust and is willing and able to take on this responsibility.

When filling out the forms it is important that you ask a family member or lawyer to help if you don’t understand them. Make sure to check if your state requires the forms to be notarized or witnessed.

Make sure to provide copies to your health care providers, your family and your health care agent.

Considerations About Life Support Treatment

• Do you want CPR if your heart stops?
• Do you want liquids or food given to you through a vein or stomach tube if you can no longer eat or drink?
• Do you want a tube in your windpipe and the use of a breathing machine if you cannot breathe on your own?
• Do you want kidney dialysis if your kidneys stop working?

Also think about what you want depending on how sick or hurt you are, what the chances of your recovery are, and what your life would be like if you choose the treatment to keep you alive. Sometimes, using treatment to keep a dying person alive can cause unnecessary suffering. These may be difficult choices, but planning for the future is something you need to consider.

If you would like assistance or information 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 wondering if hospice care is the right choice for you or your family? To be eligible for hospice services the patient must agree to comfort measures to ease pain, rather than seeking a cure for the actual disease. Hospice home care provides comprehensive services for patients and their families.

Hospice Services

• Pain control and symptom management
• Spiritual support and care
• Oxygen and medical equipment
• Medical supplies
• Medical and nursing services
• Comfort such as massage, music, and aromatherapy

You can receive hospice home care in conjunction with senior home care services such as: bath aids, light housekeeping, shopping and companionship. Care from a hospice agency and home care agency can be given simultaneously. Hospice is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurances.

If you would like assistance or information finding hospice care 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!

Article by Nicole Ashford of TLC Home Health Care & Nursing. TLC provides senior home care services in Boise, Idaho.

Nicole Skay, Client Care Manager for All Valley Senior Home Care in San Deigo, California shares some helpful information about the benefits of gardening for senior health and well being.

There are many advantages for older people to work outside in a garden and it is an excellent alternative to excercise besides walking the mall or swimming. Researchers at Kansas State University have shown that gardening can offer enough moderate physical activity to keep older adults in shape.

Benefits to Senior Health

• It increases physical activity and maintains mobility.
• It promotes relaxation and reduces stress levels.
• Provides nutritious home grown fruits and vegetables.
• Is an excellent way to get Vitamin D and prevent depression.

Candice Shoemaker, a Kansas State professor of horticulture, stated that older adults who are gardeners have better hand strength and pinch force, which is a big concern as you age. Studies show the differences between gardeners and non gardeners are higher overall physical health, motivation and self esteem, as well as higher levels of hand strength.

Edible gardening has many health and physical benefits for older people. It is a productive way to get out and enjoy the sunshine and improve your mood.

If you would like assistance or information you can always call us at 1-866-273-2995, visit our Senior Home Care Agency Directory, or fill out thissimple online form. Get Help Now!