Jeanie lived several hours away from her parents, Norah and James. As they entered their 80s, Norah and James started needing a little more assistance, so they could stay in their home as long as possible. Unfortunately, Jeanie was unable to be with them as much as she would have liked. She started asking her friends whether her parents could get Medicaid to help with daily activities.
What is Medicaid?
It’s a needs-based government program. However, while most Medicaid funding comes from the federal government, individual state governments manage their own Medicaid agencies.
What are ‘daily activities?’
Officially, Medicaid calls these “Activities of Daily Living” or ADLs, which include:
Eating, bathing, dressing, caring for personal hygiene, toileting, transferring from bed to chair and vice versa, ambulation, maintaining continence, and medication management.
Health care providers may assess an individual’s ability to perform daily activities before deciding what type of care they need. For example, if Jeanie’s mom, Norah, is having trouble moving around the house, taking a bath, and remembering to eat, her medical providers may suggest she get someone to care for her.
Some people may also need assistance with Independent Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). These activities include meal preparation, using the telephone, doing laundry, making beds, dusting and vacuuming.
What services are offered?
When an individual needs assistance with ADLs or IADLs, Medicaid may pay for in-home and out-of-home assistance, medical supplies that help the individual perform ADLs. The services offered may depend primarily on the level of assistance needed with ADLs, but could include:
- Hiring skilled nurses to provide in-home care.
- Attending an adult day health services center.
- Transferring to an assisted living facility.
- Moving into a nursing home.
Medicaid also offers home and community based waivers. The Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver Program assists people who are elderly and/or disabled. The person in need may get services like house cleaning, personal care, adult day health, adult companion, and home delivered meals.
Can Medicaid Help with Daily Activities?
Jeanie learned that Medicaid did indeed have programs that could provide her parents with the care they needed.
The attorneys at Miller Estate and Elder Law. help their clients get the benefits they deserve. For a free consultation, contact us at 256-251-2137 or use our convenient Contact Form. Although we’re located in Anniston, we also help clients in the Birmingham, Gadsden, Hoover, Talladega, Vestavia Hills, and surrounding areas.