A GUIDE TO SERVICES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT doc

A GUIDE TO SERVICES FOR SENIOR CITIZENSOF CONNECTICUT INTRODUCTION The Connecticut Department of Social Services, Elderly Services Division is at the center of the network of services f

A GUIDE TO SERVICES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

OF CONNECTICUT

INTRODUCTION

The Connecticut Department of Social Services, Elderly Services Division is at the center of the network

of services for Connecticut senior

citizens The focus of this booklet is toprovide senior citizens and those

concerned about their welfare, with aguide to look for state funded and/oraffiliated services and the organizationsthat provide them Every attempt hasbeen made to provide accurate

information about how to contact

organizations and service providers.However, changes do occur from time totime Readers are advised to contact

their Municipal Agent for the Elderly

or local Senior Center for additional

information Call your town hall or

consult the blue pages of your local

phone book for their numbers The Elderly Services Division can be reached at 1-860-424-5274 Contact

the Department’s Information and Referral Line by calling 1-800-443- 9946.

Also, INFOLINE, which is a privately

funded statewide clearinghouse forhuman service information and crisisintervention can be reached statewide

by calling 211.

SERVICES FOR SENIORS

The Elderly Services Division

coordinates and provides funding forprograms serving Connecticut’s seniorcitizens Detailed information on theseprograms will be found throughout thisguide

In addition to its own programs, theDivision coordinates federal and statefunding to the five Area Agencies onAging (AAA) These private, nonprofitplanning agencies disburse funds fornutrition and other social services for theelderly programs throughout the state incongregate settings such as seniorcenters or in the homes of frail elderlycitizens The Area Agencies are alsothe primary source for Connecticut’sCHOICES for Seniors programs,

providing Health Insurance assistance,Outreach, Information and Referral and

Counseling services and Eligibility

Screening for state and federal benefitand/or support programs in their

regions You can contact the AreaAgency on Aging in your area by callingthe statewide toll free number at

1-800-994-9422.

Area Agencies on Aging

Southwestern CT Area Agency on Aging

North Central Area Agency on Aging

2 Hartford Square West, Suite 101Hartford, CT 06106

Phone: (860) 724-6443

Western CT Area Agency on Aging

255 Bank Street, 2nd Floor

Waterbury, CT 06702

Phone: (203) 757-5449

Connecticut’s Senior Centers offer

older adults a central location to receiveinformation and services of interest tothem The centers provide programsthat promote the health and well being

of senior citizens Senior centers servethe sixty plus population, some provideservices to persons with disabilities.Consult your town hall or municipalagent for the location of your nearestsenior center

By law, each city and town in

Connecticut must have a Municipal Agent for the Elderly Their primary

role is to provide residents sixty andolder with information and servicereferral about a specific area or

program The Elderly Services Divisionprovides training sessions for municipalagents twice each year To reach yourmunicipal agent, call your city or townhall

FOOD AND NUTRITION

ELDERLY NUTRITION PROGRAM

There are 13 Elderly Nutrition

Projects funded by the Elderly ServicesDivision in Connecticut They serveindividuals 60 years of age and over andtheir spouses with nutritionally balancedmeals (Meals may also be provided topersons with disabilities living in seniorhousing facilities that have congregatemeal sites.) Congregate meals areprovided at least once a day for five ormore days per week at 200 meal sites

statewide These meal sites are located

in senior centers, senior housing

projects, schools, churches and othercommunity settings Meals are

delivered to homebound or otherwiseisolated older persons Often eveningand/or weekend meals are served,especially to homebound clients

Congregate and homebound meals areavailable free of charge to eligible

participants, although donations areencouraged and used to provide

additional meals

To be eligible, participants must be

60 years of age or older, or be a spouse

of a participant To qualify for homedelivered meals, persons over 60 mustmeet eligibility criteria through an

assessment Emphasis is given toserving those in greatest economic orsocial need

For more information contact yourlocal Area Agency on Aging, seniorcenter or municipal agent for the elderlyfor the location nearest you

FOOD STAMP PROGRAM

The Food Stamp Program providesmonthly benefits that help low-incomehouseholds buy the food they need for

good health Under agreement with theU.S Department of Agriculture, statepublic assistance agencies run theprogram through their local offices Eligibility for food stamps is based onhousehold income and assets.

Applicants may have no more than

$3,000 in assets; approximate monthlyincome for seniors (age 60+) and

disabled households are:

Number of person Approximate monthly

In household income limit

1 $893

There are some exceptions to this

guideline, in particular medical

expenses

The amount of food stamps eligiblepersons receive will depend on thenumber of people in the household,income, rent and utility expenses

For more information, contact thelocal Department of Social Servicesoffice nearest you (see Appendix)

HEALTH AND WELFARE

ADULT DAY CARE

Adult Day Care Centers providehealth and social services, recreationand custodial care for impaired adults.For information on Day Care facilities inyou area, call INFOLINE at 211

Friendly Visitors and Friendly Shoppers.BTA has provided training to over 1300volunteers who have served more than

1600 elders throughout the 60 programs

in Connecticut BTA provides its

volunteers with training workshops, aresource manual, liability insurance, and

a newsletter Contact BTA at the

Capitol Region Conference of Churches

This program provides a wide range

of home health and no-medical services

to persons age 65 and older who areinstitutionalized or at risk of

institutionalization Available servicesinclude adult day health, homemaker,companion, chore, home deliveredmeals, emergency response systems,case management, home health

services, mental health counseling, andadult foster care Persons age 65 andolder who meet the income and assetlimits can apply for services by

contacting the Department of SocialServices at 1-800-445-5394.

HEALTHCARE

The Connecticut Pharmaceutical

Assistance Contract to the Elderly and Disabled (ConnPACE)

ConnPACE (1-800-423-5026) helpseligible elderly and disabled individualspay for certain prescription drugs, insulinand insulin syringes and needles

Participants must pay a $12.00 payment for each prescription

co-ConnPACE pays the balance

Participants must pay an annual

enrollment fee of $25.00

There is no yearly dollar limit on theamount of prescriptionspurchased.There is, however, a limit on the quantitydispensed, which is either 120 doses or

a 30-day supply, whichever is greater Generic drugs must be substitutedfor brand name drugs unless otherwiseindicated by the prescribing physician Each eligible applicant will receive aConnPACE card Members must

present this card at participating

pharmacies to receive ConnPACE

benefits

Participants must re-enroll before theexpiration date on their cards Renewalforms are automatically mailed to

participants 75 days before their cardexpires Only one renewal notice issent Participants who wish to re-enrollshould respond promptly to ensurecontinuation of eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify an applicant must:

• Be 65 years of age or older or

• Be a disabled person over the age of

18 and currently receiving disabilitybenefits under the Social SecurityDisability Program (Title II), or theSupplemental Security Income

Program (Title XVI)

• Have lived in Connecticut for at leastsix months prior to application

• Have an annual adjusted grossincome of less than $14,700 if single,

or $17,700 combined, if married.Adjusted gross income means grossincome for federal income tax

purposes plus any other income notcounted for tax purposes

• Not be currently enrolled in Medicaid(Title XIX), an insurance plan thatpays for all or a portion of eachprescription, or a deductible

insurance plan that includes

prescriptions

• Have an insurance plan with a

maximum benefit You may apply toConnPACE, however, eligibility willnot be granted until after you haveexhausted the maximum benefit ofyour private insurance coverage.Eligibility will be pending until yousubmit a letter showing that youhave exhausted your benefit and thedate that occurred

ConnPACE does not pay for dietpills, antihistamines, smoking

cessation gum, contraceptives,cough preparations, multivitamincombinations, cosmetic products,drugs which are experimental or lessthan effective, or drugs

manufactured by a company notparticipating in the rebate program

The Connecticut Medicare

Assignment Program (ConnMAP)

The Connecticut Medicare

Assignment Program (ConnMAP)mandates that participants will be

charged no more than the ratesassigned by Medicare for Medicare-covered services by physicians andhealth care providers.

Medicare part B enrollees whosegross income is below $24,255 ayear (individuals) or $29,205

(couples) and who have been

Connecticut residents for 183

consecutive days, immediately prior

to application, may apply for a

ConnMAP card by calling the

Department of Social Services

(1-800-443-9946)

The definition of gross income isthe same as for the ConnPACEprogram

A valid ConnPACE card andproof of enrollment in Medicare part

B may be shown to physicians andhealth care providers as proof ofeligibility for the ConnMAP program

Connecticut Statewide Respite Care Program

This program enables caregivers

to receive respite care services byestablishing a care plan of servicesfor their loved ones with Alzheimer’s

Disease or related disorders There

is a maximum of $3,500 availableper year to each applicant, and amaximum of 30 days of out of homerespite care services (excludingAdult Day Care) available per year toeach applicant

The individual with Alzheimer’smust meet financial eligibility

requirements to participate in thisprogram Applicants (individualswith Alzheimer’s or related disorder)must have an income of $30,000 ayear or less, liquid assets of $80,000

or less, and cannot be enrolled in theMedicaid (Title 19) program Income

is considered to be Social Security(minus the Medicare Part B

premiums), Supplemental SecurityIncome, Railroad Retirement

Income, veteran’s benefits, and anyother payments received on a one-time or recurring basis Liquid

assets include checking and savingsaccounts, stocks, bonds, IRAs,certificates of deposit, or other

holdings that can be converted intocash

You can contact the Area Agency

on Aging in your area by calling the

statewide toll free number at

1-800-994-9422 for more information on

an eligibility determination for

Medicaid (Title 19) Individuals maypurchase a policy for a specific

amount of coverage Should theyeventually need long term care athome or in a nursing home, theinsurance company will pay benefitstowards the cost of care If the

individual then applies for Medicaid,

he or she will be allowed to retainassets up to the amount that thepolicy paid and not have this amountcounted towards the Medicaid

program'’ asset limit For moreinformation or volunteer counseling,call the Department of Social

Services at 1-800-547-3443

Elderly Health Screening

The Elderly Services Divisionsupports four Elderly Health

Screening programs throughout

Connecticut The primary goal ofthese programs is the early detection

of disease Health care education isalso provided Health screeningtests include blood analysis,

electrocardiograms, blood pressuretesting, glaucoma testing, and

cancer examinations

For information about the location

of clinics and/or to make an

appointment call:

Western and North Central Regions:Elderly Health Screening Services,Inc (203) 753-9284

Brideport:

City of Bridgeport, Department ofHealth Elderly Health ScreeningProgram, (203) 576-7690

local senior centers Call your localsenior center for information.

Long Term Care

The Connecticut Department ofPublic Health licenses nursing

homes and long term care facilities

in the state These privately ownedand operated facilities are availablewhen an elderly person can no

longer remain at home because thecare and supervision required aretoo expensive A book of licensednursing home facilities in the state isavailable for $8.00 from the

Department of Public Health 410Capitol Avenue, MS#12HSR, P.O.Box 340308, Hartford, CT 06134-

0308 Send a check or money orderpayable to “Treasurer State of CT” tothe attention of the Nursing HomePublication The Department ofPublic Health can be reached bycalling (860) 509-7400 The bookcontains a variety of useful

information about nursing homefacilities

Individuals and their familiesconsidering long term care facilitiesshould consult their physicians,hospital discharge planners, and

social workers about the decisionand facilities under consideration.Additional information may be

available from your local MunicipalAgent for the Elderly RegionalElderly Housing Directories,

prepared by the Department of

Social Services, Elderly ServicesDivision, also include listings of long-term care facilities Contact DSS at(860) 424-5284 for copies of thisbook

Title 19 (MEDICAID)

The Medicaid program providesassistance with a variety of medicalcosts to both those living

independently in their own homes aswell as those living in long term caremedical facilities In many cases, itacts as a source of supplementalassistance with costs which are notcovered under Medicare benefits.This is particularly true of deductiblesand co-pay amounts required underMedicare, costs such as a

pharmaceutical which are not

covered by Medicare, and long termcare costs

Medicaid is a “means-tested”program, meaning that unlike

Medicare, only those whose incomeand assets are within the programslimits are eligible for benefits Thosewho wish to apply for benefits mustcontact the Department of SocialServices Regional Office in his or herarea and request an applicationform The Elderly Services Divisionoffers booklets which provide moredetailed information on Medicaideligibility Anyone interested in thesebooklets should call 1-800-443-9946

or (860) 424-4925 Anyone whowishes to inquire about the eligibilityrequirements for Medicaid shouldcontact a regional office of DSS (seeAppendix)

ELDER RIGHTS &

INFORMATION

CHOICES FOR SENIORS

PROGRAM

Through the Area Agencies on

Aging, Connecticut provides a number

of programs to enable seniors to

understand and exercise their rights,receive benefits to which they are

entitled, and make informed choices

about quality of life issues CHOICES for Seniors programs include:

• Health Insurance Assistance

(HICAP): Provides free information,

counseling and assistance to seniorsabout Medicare, Medicaid, MedicareSupplement Insurance (Medigap),Long Term Care Insurance and otherrelated state and federal programs.Volunteers are available to meet withseniors throughout Connecticut

• Outreach: Dispenses important

program information to seniors

through community educationalseminars, senior fairs, senior centers

and public libraries; provides

education and training of

non-traditional referral sources to identifyand refer at-risk seniors; and

partners “gate-keeping” programswith utility companies for communityseniors

• Information and Referral: Serves

as a “one stop” centralized

information source for senior

services and a referral service thatcoordinates with local providers

• Counseling: Provides general

assessment of and appropriateassistance to seniors who appear inneed of resource options includingsuch areas as nursing homes andalternatives, and health insurance

• Eligibility Screening: “One stop”

information and screening for almost

20 general state and federal benefitsand/or support programs will beavailable to seniors through the mail

or in person

For more information, contact the

CHOICES statewide toll-free number

at 1-800-994-9422

CENTER FOR MEDICARE

ADVOCACY

The Center for Medicare Advocacy,Inc., is staffed by attorneys, paralegaland technical assistants who providelegal advice, self-help materials, andrepresentation to the elderly and

disabled who are unfairly denied

Medicare coverage The Center

operates a toll-free telephone line toassure that Medicare beneficiariesreceive all the medical care and

Medicare coverage to which they areentitled Advice and written materialsare free to all Connecticut residents toenable them to initiate grievances, whenappropriate, or pursue a Medicareappeal either on their own or with theassistance of Center personnel If legalrepresentation by the Center is

appropriate, it too is provided at no cost.You can reach the Center for MedicareAdvocacy by calling 1-800-262-4414 or(860) 456-7790

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ELDERLY

SERVICES INFORMATION LINE

This toll-free line was established tobetter handle questions concerning theprograms and services available forpersons 60 years of age and older Bydialing this number, callers will be able

to speak with trained staff who canprovide information about programs forsenior citizens in the State of

Connecticut The toll-free line is 443-9946

1-800-CONSERVATOR OF ESTATE

PROGRAM (COE)

The Commissioner of the

Department of Social Services may beappointed Conservator of Estate forindividuals sixty years of age or olderwhose liquid assets do not exceed

$1,500 at the time of appointment

Appointment of the DSS Commissioner

is intended to be a last resort,

considered only after the court hasfound that the person under

consideration is incapable of managinghis or her affairs and,

• The ward has property rights, whichwill be wasted or dissipated unlessproper management is provided.And/or,

• Funds are needed for the support,care or welfare of the ward and/orthe ward’s dependents And,

• The DSS Commissioner is appointedconservator of estate in situations inwhich an involuntary appointment ofconservator is sought DSS doesnot accept voluntary appointment ofconservators

The Elderly Services staff within theElder Rights Unit execute the functions

of the Conservator of Estate Program.You can contact them by calling (860)424-5241 To obtain the location andphone number of the Court serving yourcommunity call your local Town Hall orlook in the blue pages of the telephonebook

CONSERVATOR OF PERSON

PROGRAM (COP)

The Conservator of Person Program

is a program of the Department of SocialServices that was initiated in

Connecticut in 1984, in recognition ofthe critical need for individuals to act onbehalf of elders who, due to mental orphysical disability, were incapable ofmanaging their own affairs Staff,

representing the Department of SocialServices Commissioner, are appointed

by the Probate Court to supervise thepersonal affairs of an individual,

including arrangement for medical

needs and ensuring that the individualhas nutritious meals, clothing, safe andadequate housing, personal hygieneand is protected from physical abuse orharm For more information on theConservator of Person Program, contactthe DSS Regional Offices at numberslisted below:

The State of Connecticut Department ofSocial Services, Elderly Services

Division, developed this statewide

program to provide assistance in

establishing grandparent support groupsfor grandparents and relatives raisingchildren The Grandparents As ParentsSupport Program (GAPS), is designed

to encourage and promote the creation

of services for relatives who have taken

on the responsibility of parenting

GAPS support groups were started in allfive regions of the state under the

auspices of the Brookdale Foundation

Groups’ national program Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) The Elderly

Services Division has developed anetwork of over 100 agencies,

individuals and organizations that areproviding service or assistance to

grandparent and relative caregivers.The GAPS Network meets every othermonth providing educational sessionsfor its members on advocacy, legislativeupdates, support group ideas and

updates on resources For more

information on GAPS or a list of

agencies providing caregiver supportplease call (860) 424-5233

INFOLINE

INFOLINE is a statewide

clearinghouse for human service

information and a telephone help-line,which provides information, assistance,

and crisis intervention for all Connecticutresidents, and as such it:

• Provides information on humanservices and community resourcesincluding specialized services, such

as substance abuse, Alzheimer’sdisease, child care, and maternaland child health issues

• Refers callers to services they need

• Helps callers define their problems,needs, and options

• Helps callers mobilize their ownresources

• Acts as an advocate when

necessary

• Intervenes in crisis situations such

as abuse, suicide attempts, andother emergencies

Most callers receive help as a result

of their calls to INFOLINE You canreach INFOLINE by dialing 211

LEGAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES Connecticut legal assistance

organizations are independent, nonprofitcorporations which provide free legalassistance in civil cases to incomeeligible people Some of these

organizations also contract with theArea Agencies on Aging to provide free

legal services specifically to seniors withgreat social and/or economic need, withpriority given to cases involving issues

of income benefits, health and long-termcare, nutrition, housing, utilities,

discrimination, abuse and protectiveservices Legal assistance attorneyshave expertise in dealing with problemsinvolving public benefits such as

Medicaid (Title 19), support and otherentitlement programs, housing, andnursing home issues

A list of legal assistance offices inConnecticut can be found in the

Appendix , or for more information callyour regional Area Agency on Aging at1-800-994-9422

LONG TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM

The Long Term Care Ombudsmanprogram advocates for quality care andthe rights of individuals living in nursinghomes Ombudsmen receive and

investigate complaints, and assist

residents to resolve problems related totheir nursing home care They educateresidents, families and staff about

resident’s rights and empower residentsand families to discuss concerns withnursing home staff Ombudsmen

representatives respect the privacy andconfidentiality of residents and work toresolve problems in a way that buildscommon ground, alleviating conflictsand misunderstandings.

One of the most successful ways theOmbudsmen program has of helpingresidents is its Volunteer Resident

Advocate Program Community

volunteers are trained by program staff

on rights of residents, problem solving,listening and communication skills, andworking with nursing home staff and thehealth care system After training,

Volunteer Advocates spend 4 hours perweek in one assigned nursing home tovisit regularly, establish rapport withresidents and help resolve problems orconcerns

To find out how the OmbudsmanProgram can help you, contact the StateOmbudsman in Hartford at (860) 424-

5200 or one of the following regionaloffices:

Eastern (860) 823-3366North Central (860) 566-4499Northwestern (203) 597-4181South Central (203) 974-3030Southwestern (203) 579-6903Central Sub-Office (860) 612-3521

MEDICARE ASSISTANCE AND APPEALS

There are two legal assistanceprograms that offer free advice to

Medicare recipients and their familiesabout Medicare benefits and their rights

to appeal decisions about Medicarecoverage

The Center for Medicare Advocacy(1-800-262-4414) described earlier inthis section offers free information,advice and representation to assureMedicare beneficiaries that they receiveall the Medicare benefits and coverage

to which they are entitled

Legal Assistance to Medicare

Patients (LAMP) (1-800-413-7796) isadministered by CT Legal Services Itstoll free line provides information toseniors and their families about

Medicare benefits and rights of appeal.LAMP staff also offer legal assistanceand referrals for non-Medicare casesand coordinate legal representation withprivate attorneys and other legal

assistance programs as appropriate.Although advice and counseling arefree, further representation by LAMP is