Older adults who need assistance or information can contact Aging Services, Inc. by calling 724-349-4500 or 1-800-442-8016, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
They will be given the appropriate information and assistance through ASI or referred to other resources.
Information on events, medicine, benefits, and other elderly issues is available through the ASI monthly newsletter, “The Spotlight”
To subscribe to the “Spotlight.” contact the above number.
Frail elderly who live alone can receive a friendly phone call from ASI each morning Monday through Friday. This provides them with socialization and ensures their well being. If no one answers, the ASI caller informs an emergency contact who assists ASI in locating the elderly individual.
ASI provides information on services available to older adults through ASI, other agencies, community organizations, public relations, and personal contacts with older adults.
Available In-Home Services
Care Management
The ASI Long Term Care Unit staff assesses the needs of older adults and develops a care plan of appropriate services to meet those needs.
Effective January 1, 2002 ASI instituted, through a mandate by the PA Department of Aging, a cost sharing system. Their system is based on the individual’s income and services they are receiving. The following are now cost sharing services at ASI: Adult Day Care, Home Support, Personal Assistance Service, and Personal Care. Consumers are billed monthly based on a percentage of their income for the services they have received. Copies of all income sources are required to be provided to caseworkers at the time of assessment and annually thereafter.
ASI provides transportation to medical appointments in Indiana County for individual’s age 60 to 64 who are not eligible for Medical Assistance and unable to access public transportation.
Transportation to Social Centers is provided to any individual age 60 and older that cannot access public transportation because of a mental or physical disability.
Individuals age 65 and older may receive transportation to medical appointments and grocery shopping by going through the assessment process. ASI contracts with Indigo for service delivery.
Meals are available Monday through Friday to homebound older adults who are unable to prepare a meal for themselves and do not have anyone available to prepare a meal for them.
Meals are delivered to all areas of Indiana County except White Township and Indiana Borough.
Meals on Wheels (724-463-7676), a separate agency provides home delivered meals in White Township and Indiana Borough.
The homemaker program provides light housekeeping, laundry, and shopping assistance to frail older adults living in their own homes.
*currently there is a waiting list for this service.*
*cost sharing applies to home support services.*
The Adult Day Care program provides a supervised setting for frail and/or impaired older adults who are unable to stay alone during the day. Individuals participate in socialization, arts and crafts, life skills education, and preventative health care. Caregivers receive respite while their loved ones attend the center.
The center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Volunteers are always needed in our Adult Day Care program.
*Cost sharing applies to Adult Day Care services*
Personal Assistance Service
Personal Assistance Services provides “hands-on” care in the home of individuals age 60+ who are unable to independently meet their personal hygiene needs or perform their activities of daily living.
*Cost sharing applies to Personal Assistance Services*
Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP)
ASI provides limited financial assistance and benefits counseling to individuals who are caring for a disabled older relative in their home. The financial assistance is a limited reimbursement of caregiving expenses.
ASI provides a support group for caregivers. The group meets the last Wednesday of the month at 2:00 pm at the Oak Place Community Center. Caregivers can learn coping and care giving skills, gain knowledge about diseases, medications, research, and legal issues. Please contact ASI at 724-349-4500 if you are interested in this group.
The Ombudsman services are provided to, or on behalf of, residents in Personal Care Homes, Nursing Facilities, Domiciliary Care Homes, and anyone receiving Long Term Care Services in the community. The Ombudsman receives, verifies, and attempts to resolve any complaint on a local level by acting as a negotiator between the complainant and homeowner and/or administrator.
VOLUNTEER OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM
The Volunteer Ombudsman Program has been establishes to provide intensive visibility of the Ombudsman program in Long Term Care facilities. The volunteers educate and inform residents of their rights. They listen to concerns and refer to appropriate assistive programs.
Contact the ASI offices to enlist in the Volunteer Ombudsman Program!
These services are provided to individuals age 60 and older who are at risk of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, neglected or self-neglect, and/or exploitation. Individuals may reside in the community or within a licensed facility. The program includes a broad range of legal, medical, and social intervention on behalf of the older adult. The goal of protective services is to reduce or eliminate the risk of abuse.
Reports of abuse can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 724-349-6190 or 1-800-442-8016. After hours by calling 911.
PRE-ADMISSION ASSESSMENT & OBRA
Pre-admission assessment and OBRA are federally mandated programs that require all states to determine appropriate placement of persons with mental illness, mental retardation, and other related conditions into nursing facilities.
The programs are designed to assess the level of care needed by anyone, age 18 or older, who is applying for admission to a nursing facility, domiciliary care home, or personal care home.
Pre-admission is a comprehensive assessment for those seeking Medical Assistance payment for nursing facility, domiciliary care, and personal care home placement. The assessment process includes an evaluation of physical health, the ability to carry out daily tasks, informal supports, and cognitive functioning. A physician must provide a medical evaluation which document the need for care.
Dependent individuals who need a protective, sheltered living situation can receive assistance with their residential placement. Aging Services, Inc. will assist with placement in Personal Care Homes (for individuals age 60 or older) or Domiciliary Care Homes (age 18 or older and low income.)
Personal Care Boarding Home Supplement assessment services are provided to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients age 18 or older who functionally disabled and reside in a licensed Personal Care Home. This enables them to receive State supplement monies.
Domiciliary Care is a program which pays people to provide home-like care to both frail elderly and other disabled people over the age 18. The home providers are concerned, caring people and families who have the room in their homes and the time to give for daily personalized care and attention to their guests. The provider is paid every month for their services, and receive ongoing support and direction from a Dom Care caseworker from Aging Services, Inc.
PA DEPARTMENT OF AGING WAIVER PROGRAM
The PA Department of Aging Waiver Program is for individuals age 60 and older, who have been medically assessed and determined eligible for nursing facility care but choose community-based services including: personal care, respite care, transportation, home delivered meals, home support, and personal emergency response systems.
Individuals must meet financial criteria with income not to exceed $1911.00 per month and asset limit at $8,000.00. Once in the program individuals cannot exceed 80% of the average Medicaid payment for a nursing facility in Pennsylvania based on a twelve-month average.
The purpose of the program is to promote older workers and provide free job placement services.
Job Seekers: In order to be eligible for our program, you must be 55 years older, reside in Indiana County, and have a desire to work part time or full time. Job seekers complete an application at our office and receive assistance in seeking employment. We also assist with updating resumes, providing job interview and job search counseling, and will help to locate training opportunities.
Brokerage System: We accept job vacancies from employers, and offer mature job seekers an opportunity for referral to potential employers. Thus, we act as a broker by carefully matching the needs of the employer and the mature job seeker.
Prospective Employers: Our coordinator works with employers to place mature workers in full time, part time, temporary, or seasonal employment. Employers can maximize human resource budgets and expand their workforce by hiring experienced, skilled and mature workers. Seniors are a healthy hiring investment for businesses. An investment in a seasoned, mature worker pays off with high interest and solid benefits to your business and the community.
Private Hiring : Senior citizens who want to maintain independence in their homes, but need some assistance, may want to hire an older worker to provide caregiving, transportation to appointments, or minor home repair and maintenance including grass mowing, leaf raking and snow removal. Seniors can phone our coordinator, and we will make appropriate referrals, and then the senior can discuss the cost of services with the older worker and pay accordingly.
The Apprise program assists older adults with the complexities of the health insurance system. Services include information on health insurance benefits, Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, claims filing, telephone assistance, consumer protection, referral to other resources, Property Tax and Rent Rebate, fuel assistance, PACE, and PACENET, housing, food stamps, and advocacy.
PACE (Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly):
Eligible persons age 65 and older can obtain prescribed medicine and insulin equipment from pharmacies at a cost of $6.00 per prescription. PACE pays the balance of the cost.
To be eligible for PACE a single person who has been a resident of Pennsylvania for at least 90 days must have had an annual income of $14,500.00. For married couples the maximum annual income must be less than $17,700.00.
*Income guidelines are subject to change from year to year. Call ASI for most recent guidelines.
PACENET: Extends the eligibility income limits another $2,000.00 for a single person with an income between $14,500.00 and $23,500
00 and for married couples with an income between $17,700.00 and $31,500.00. Once enrolled in PACENET, there is a $29.23 monthly deductable for persons who do not have a part D plan. After the deductable is met, PACENET will reimburse prescriptions for a co-pay of $8.00 for generic drugs and $15.00 for brand name drugs.
*Income guidelines are subject to change from year to year. Call ASI for most recent guidelines.
There are many types of health insurance programs available for Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older. Below is a listing of the most common health insurance programs. For specific information about these programs or questions about other health insurance policies contact the ASI Apprise Counselor.
*Medicare Part A (Hospital insurance) helps pay for inpatient hospital care, psychiatric hospital care, medically necessary skilled nursing facility care following a hospital stay, home health care, and hospice care.
*Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) helps pay for doctor’s services, outpatient hospital services, and various medical services and supplies.
*Medicare Part D (Drug Coverage) helps pay for prescription medications.
*Medicare Managed Care plans are prepaid plans (mostly HMO’s) that contract with Medicare and provide or arrange for all Medicare-covered services. Some plans offer additional benefits, such as dental care, prescription drugs and hearing aids.
*Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap insurance, is regulated by federal and state law. There are 10 standard benefit plans which are designed to complement Medicare’s benefits.
*Medicaid (Medical Assistance) pays, without cost or bills to the individual, many medical expenses including physician’s services; psychiatric care, nursing facility care; laboratory; x-ray and clinic services; and hospitalization. Coverage varies according to each person’s situation. You must meet certain income guidelines.
*Healthy Horizons ensures adequate health care for elderly and disabled persons with low incomes, and allows more spendable income by paying Medicare premiums. There are various levels of benefits and you must meet specific income guidelines.
Pennsylvania Senior Games:
Any Pennsylvania resident age 50 or older can complete in various indoor and outdoor sports to try to win a gold, silver or bronze medal. The games are held during the summer at Shippensburg University. Call 1-888-445-4559 for information.
Federal Income Tax Preparation Assistance:
Free tax preparation assistance is offered each year from February through April at sites throughout the county. The preparations are done by trained volunteers AARP Tax Aide Program. Contact ASI in January for dates and locations.
Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program:
This program is available to those persons permanently disabled 18 years of age and up, widow/widower 50-64 years of age and all persons over the age of 65. This program enables a person living on a limited income to receive a refund of some part of the money he/she paid for property taxes or rent during a calendar year. Payments range to $650.00, depending on income and amount of taxes or rent paid. Contact ASI for specific guidelines.
Reduced Vehicle Registration:
Retired persons receiving Social Security or other pension benefits with an annual income of no more than $19,200.00 and a vehicle weighing no more than 9,000 pounds gross weight are eligible to receive their registration for $10.00.
Persons age 55 or older will receive a discount on auto insurance upon completion of one of three approved mature driver improvement courses. The courses are conducted by AARP, American Automobile Association (AAA) and the National Safety Council.
The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs administer a variety of programs to assist veterans and their families. Each program has its own eligibility requirements. Contact the local Department of Veterans Affairs at 724-465-3815.
Our Apprise Counselors can assist you with these programs. Should you feel you do not qualify for the programs listed, but still need help, please contact us because there are may be other prescription and health insurance programs available to you. You can reach Apprise Counselors by calling 724-349-4500 or 1-800-442-8016, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am until 4:30 pm.
PROMOTING AND PRESERVING INDEPENDENCE AND HEALTHY LIVING FOR OLDER ADULTS
TODAY - TOMORROW - ALWAYS
