Long-Term Care

What is Long-Term Care?

Long-term care can provide a variety of services that include medical and nonmedical care to people who have a chronic illness or disability. Long-term care helps meet health or personal needs.  Most long-term care assists people with support services such as activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom.  Long-term care can be provided at home, in assisted living or in nursing homes.  It is important to remember that you may need long-term care at any age.

Medicaid and Long-Term Care:

Medicaid is a State and Federal Government program that pays for certain health services and nursing home care for people who qualify for Medicaid.  Medicaid also pays for some long-term care services at home.  Persons can be eligible based on income and asset limits.  Here in Wisconsin including Sauk County, the publicly funded long-term care program is called Family Care.  Family Care is a public program that provides care management for your long term care needs.

NOTE:  The State of Wisconsin has issued a cap on the number of people who can be enrolled into the Iris or Managed Care Programs. There will be a cap, or limit, within each ADRC service area on enrollments into any of the available managed care or Iris programs effective July 1, 2011.  Managed Care Programs provide in-home services to elderly individuals or individuals with disabilities.  They also help provide funding in Assisted Living facilities for those individuals who are in need of it.

Choosing Long-Term Care:

Choosing long-term care is an important decision.  Planning for long-term care requires you to think about possible future health care needs.  This could be having services coming into the home or choosing a different housing option.  It is important to look at all of your choices.  You will have more control over decisions and be able to stay independent if you think about long-term care before you need care or before a crisis occurs.  Even if you plan ahead, making long-term care decisions can be hard.  Again this can be getting services in your own home with Home-Health agencies, hiring a qualified individual, and/or family members providing assistance.  Having support coming into the home can allow you to remain in the home safely and with support.

The following home health services that may be available in the community:

· Skilled nursing care
· Homemaker/Health aides
· Personal care aides
· Respite care
· Medical equipment
· Home repair and modification
· Hospice