Senior & Disabled Adults

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Senior

Preparing Strategies to Help Those in Need

At Tri-County Community Action Agency, we are proud to offer services and assistance to some of our most vulnerable populations. Navigating complex health insurance guidelines and state programs can be especially difficult for our senior residents and disabled adults. Finding care and resources to assist with daily living can be equally as challenging.

Tri-County’s Senior and Disabled Adult Case Managers are available to assist with a multitude of services including, healthcare and medical assistance, home health aides, home modifications, elder abuse and self- neglect prevention, and when necessary, nursing home referrals. Our goal is to identify the needs of the individual and their family, and to prepare strategies to assist them in meeting those needs.

The Tri-County Senior & Disabled Adult program covers residents of Burrillville, Charlestown, Cranston, Cumberland, Exeter, Foster, Glocester, Hopkinton, Johnston, Lincoln, Narragansett, New Shoreham (Block Island), North Kingstown, North Providence, North Smithfield, North Scituate, Richmond, Scituate, Smithfield, South Kingstown, Westerly and Woonsocket.

For information on any of the Senior & Disabled Adult services, contact us at 401-349-5760

We provide eligible seniors with options to help them stay safely in their homes for as long as possible. Options may include home health aide services, adult day services, establishing personal emergency alert systems, scheduling Meals on Wheels, companion services, minor home safety modifications, or other helpful devices.

At Home Support Programs are state and federally funded services that provide eligible seniors with creative options to help them remain in their homes, and to cover the cost of a home health agency.

You may be eligible for At Home Support Case Management services if you are 65 years or older, a resident of Rhode Island, meet financial criteria, be homebound (unable to leave home without considerable help), and be in need of help with personal care, meals, bathing, dressing, or moving around your home.

There may be cost for these services depending on your insurance and your needs. Services may include housekeeping, Meals on Wheels, senior companions, respite services, personal emergency alerts, home health aides, assisted living support, and many more.

For more information on At Home Supports Case Management options, visit

Long Term Services And Supports | Executive Office of Health and Human Services (ri.gov)

Tri-County is part of a state-wide network of agencies that work together to deliver accurate and timely information, referrals, and options counseling.

We offer several options for RI seniors to help navigate complex healthcare programs, many at no cost to the participant.

Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) – The Rhode Island Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) is part of a national partnership to help clients make informed healthcare choices. Tri-County SHIP counselors provide counseling to seniors, adults with disabilities, families, and caregivers to help them understand healthcare cost and coverage options. Counselors discuss Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurance options.

Senior Medicare Patrol – The Rhode Island Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program helps Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries recognize and report Medicare and Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse. Medicare fraud, waste, and abuse includes incorrectly reporting of a diagnosis, procedure, treatment, or medication by a medical provider in order to get a higher payment, billing for individual mental health services when group counseling was provided, billing for brand name prescriptions when generic medications were dispensed, using another Medicare or Medicaid card to get services, or double-billing Medicare, Medicaid and a private insurance carrier for the same services. The Tri-County SMP counselors can assist in reporting suspected cases of Medicare fraud, and can educate clients on safeguarding themselves to Medicare fraud in the future.

The POINT Network Program (PNP) – Tri-County is a Regional POINT Network Provider! THE POINT Network Program (PNP) provides information, referral, and long-term care option counseling to seniors, adults with disabilities, families, and caregivers. Tri-County partners with local senior centers to provide clients with reliable, consistent information in a timely manner.

Residents of the following communities are eligible for Tri-County’s SHIP, SMP and PNP Programs: Burrillville, Cranston, Cumberland, Foster, Glocester, Johnston, North Providence, North Smithfield, Scituate, Smithfield, Woonsocket, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, New Shoreham (Block Island), North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, and Westerly.

Medicare eligible seniors (65+) and adults with disabilities (18+) are eligible for services. There is no income restriction to access counseling services.

The Self-Directed program helps to connect seniors and disabled adults (age 18+) with long-term home and community services to help keep individuals safely in their homes. It is designed to give the participant more control over how they receive their personal care services. Participants receive cash to pay for their own personal care providers of their choice. Because many participants prefer to receive care from those they feel comfortable with, this programs allows for certain family members to act as the care provider. The participant would manage and pay their care provider in this program.

Self-Directed is:

  •             For people with disabilities over the age of (18) eighteen or elders aged 65 or older
  •             For eligible for Long Term Care Services and Supports
  •             For individuals who meet wither a high or highest level of care
  •             For individuals who want to either return home or remain at home
  •             For individuals who have the ability to self-direct care or who have a representative who is able to direct care for the participant

 

Participants work with a Service Advisement Agency and Fiscal Advisement Agency to assist with coordinating the services. Tri-County CAA is one three available Service Advisement Agencies for the Self-Directed program.

(Please update contact info) For additional information contact, 349-5760 or the POINT at 462-4444

To be eligible for the Self-Directed program, applicants must require a level of care provided in nursing homes, which is determined by an assessment from a medical professional. Applicants must also be financially qualified for RI Medicaid.

The Tri-County Self-Directed program serves all residents of Rhode Island, age 65 and older, or disabled adults, age 18 and older.

For more information , contact us at 401.349.5670.

If you suspect abuse, neglect, and/or financial exploitation by a caregiver or the self-neglect of an older person (60+) call the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging at 401-462-0555. Rhode Island law requires you to report suspected abuse, self-neglect or exploitation of an elder. All Rhode Islanders are mandatory reporters. Reports can be filed anonymously.

The Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging (OHA) Elder Rights and Safety Unit is responsible for investigating complaints of elderly abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation by a caregiver or the self-neglect of an older person who resides in the community.

When cases of abuse, neglect, or exploitation are found by the Office of Healthy Aging, the case is then referred to Tri-County Case Management.  Case Managers will work with individuals to connect them with services, and to reduce the risk of future abuse or neglect.

Adults have the right to make choices, good or bad, about their lives. OHA or Tri-County CAA Case Managers do not have the authority to separate a person from other people or places.

The National Family Care Giver Support Program offers support to caregivers and families of elders with issues and concerns related to their care giving responsibilities.  Our team of caseworkers provide individual counseling to caregivers who are experiencing stress, and information about available resources and including caregiver support group workshops.

Any caregiver or family member of an elder who needs support, guidance and referral services of a loved one is eligible to participate in this program, at no cost.

Case Managers and staff provide

  • Individual counseling to caregivers who are experiencing stress.
  • Information about available resources.
  • Referral to support group workshops, as appropriate.

Caregivers are:

  • Adult family members or other informal caregivers age 18 and older providing care to individuals 60 years of age and older
  • Adult family members or other informal caregivers age 18 and older providing care to individuals of any age with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders