Are you exploring options for long-term care that allow you or a loved one to remain at home? The Long Term Home Health Care Program offers a comprehensive and coordinated approach to medical, nursing, and rehabilitation services delivered directly in your residence. This program serves as a valuable alternative to nursing home placement for individuals with disabilities who are medically eligible for nursing facility level of care but prefer the comfort and familiarity of their home environment.
Eligibility for a Long Term Home Health Care Program hinges on meeting specific medical criteria, similar to those for nursing home admission. A crucial step involves an assessment by a registered nurse. This assessment utilizes a standardized form to evaluate an individual’s medical conditions and their functional abilities in performing Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, eating, mobility, and toileting. A key financial aspect of eligibility is that the cost of providing care at home must be demonstrably less than the average cost of nursing home care within the individual’s county.
Accessing the Long Term Home Health Care Program can be initiated through several avenues. Common referral pathways include hospital discharge planners, the local Department of Social Services (LDSS), or directly contacting a Long Term Home Health Care Provider. While county authorities determine program eligibility based on medical and financial assessments, the LDSS is responsible for authorizing and overseeing all provided services.
The range of services available under a Long Term Home Health Care Program is broad, encompassing all standard Medicaid benefits and potentially extending to additional supportive services. These may include specialized Registered Nurse Case Management, convenient home-delivered or congregate meals, essential housing improvements and moving assistance to accommodate disabilities, respiratory therapy, medical social services, expert nutrition and dietary services, respite care for family caregivers, social adult day care programs, and accessible social transportation options.
To ensure appropriate care and service delivery, the LDSS actively participates in periodic reassessments of the services provided. Long Term Home Health Care Providers are tasked with obtaining necessary physician orders and diligently administering the required assessment tools. The New York State Department of Health maintains oversight by conducting periodic surveys of providers to evaluate the quality and scope of medical, nursing, and rehabilitative care delivered under these programs.
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints regarding a Long Term Home Health Care Program, you are encouraged to contact the dedicated Home Health Hotline at 800-628-5972. It’s important to note that these programs are designed to serve both individuals requiring long-term support and those with short-term needs who would otherwise require institutionalization, thus differing from traditional home care services focused on less intensive needs.
