Assistance in Your Home & Community

This section provides information on programs and services that help senior citizens to remain living independently in their own homes. The programs and services mentioned in this section are provided through the Illinois Department on Aging’s Community Care Program, Older American Services, and Senior HelpLine, as well as through various state and federal agencies. Choose a link from the tool bar to the right to locate information on your area of interest.

Features   Older Adult Services Act (P.A. 093-1031) calls for restructuring all aspects of service, including the provision of housing, health, financial and supportive services for older people. Community Care Program The Illinois Department on Aging’s Community Care Program helps senior citizens who might otherwise need nursing home care, to remain in their own homes by providing in-home and community-based services. The Changing Landscape of Long Term Care Services for Older Adults: A National Perspective Video (Part 1, Part 2) The Illinois Department on Aging presented an informational meeting on "The Changing Landscape of Long Term Care Services for Older Adults: A National Perspective," held on June 19, 2012 in Chicago. Topics Included CMS Trends, Balancing Incentives and Managed Care Changes. The Balancing Incentive Payments Program (BIP) and the Enhanced ADRC Options Counseling Funding Opportunity - Roger Auerbach The Real Leadership Lessons The Aging and Disability Network Can Learn From Steve Jobs State Medicaid Integration Tracker© Leveraging Options under Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act Overview of Aging and Disability Resource Centers - Steven Lutzky, Ph.D. Choices for Care All persons age 60 and older who are seeking admission to a long term care facility must be informed of all care options prior to admission. Illinois Family Caregiver Support Program Are you or is someone you know caring for an older adult? Are you an older person caring for grandchildren or other young family members? Are you an older person caring for an adult with a disability? This program provides basic services for family caregivers. Pathways to Community Living Pathways to Community Living was developed under the Federal Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration Program. It is a statewide, multi-agency initiative to help older adults move out of the nursing home and back into their communities. The Department on Aging participates in MFP with our sister state agencies. For additional information visit the website at www.mfp.illinois.gov or you can view the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report.

Did You Know?   The Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers in Grundy County offers a home medication dispensing program. This program is available through a monthly subscription fee and is most beneficial for seniors who have a complex medication regimen and want to continue living independently. The program may also be beneficial for individuals with cognitive impairment or one or more chronic conditions, as well as those who simply want to take their medications properly. The use of the medication dispenser may help reduce medication errors, improve the quality of life for seniors, as well as provide peace of mind for their families. Do you need someone to discuss programs and services in another language? Senior citizens who are not fluent in English and live in the Chicago area can locate an ethnic provider by contacting the Coalition of Limited-English Speaking Elderly, a consortium of ethnic organizations representing 18 different ethnic groups. When an older person needs financial assistance from Medicaid for nursing facility care or Community Care Program services, the federal law on Spousal Impoverishment Prevention helps make sure that the spouse will have the money needed to pay for living expenses by protecting a certain amount of the couple's resources. Senior Centers provide opportunities for socialization, relaxation and participation in a variety of programs and activities, as well as a wide range of services for older adults such as congregate meals, transportation, education, counseling, legal assistance and health screening.   Centralized Repository Vault   The Centralized Repository Vault (CRV) is a key project in the overall Management Improvement Initiative, which was signed into law on August 25, 2011, as Public Act 97-0558. The Management Improvement Initiative aims to create greater efficiencies in business related practices and ultimately foster a network in Illinois that will enable a greater level of direct service to our more vulnerable citizens.