Q. What is a Case Management/Care Coordinator?
A. A case manager or care coordinator is a person who has been trained and certified by the Illinois Department on Aging to conduct an assessment to determine an older person’s strengths and to locate resources to assist with weaknesses.
Q. What is an assessment?
A. An assessment is a series of questions that help the older person and case manager to look at the older person’s situation and determine what might be needed to keep that person safely and independently in their home. The assessment interview may take up to two hours depending on needs and situation.
Q. Is there any cost for the assessment?
A. No. The assessment costs are covered by the Illinois Department on Aging.
Q. What are the eligibility requirements for an assessment?
A. The older person needs to be at least 60 years of age and a resident of Illinois.
Q. Where does the assessment occur?
A. The assessment may occur in the home, in the hospital, in the nursing home and other places. It would be ideal to see the older person in their home, but sometimes there are extenuating circumstances.
Q. What services are available?
A. There are a variety of services that might assist in keeping an older person safely in their home. However, some services are limited to certain geographic areas. In general, some of the more frequently utilized services are home delivered meals, homemaker services, senior companions, adult day services and emergency home response services.
Q. What is the cost for these services?
A. Some of the services are at no cost to some of our older adults. Some have a sliding scale fee. Some services only suggest a donation.
Q. Can I have a Care Coordinator come to my home more than once?
A. Yes. Sometimes there is a lot of change in our life and a reassessment may bring the need for additional supports.
Q. How do I arrange for a Care Coordinator to come to my home?
A. An interested person would need to call our office at 236-5863 and provide the older person’s name, address and phone number. If having another person at the assessment would be helpful, please provide us that information.
Q. Are services covered by Medicare?
A. No. These are non medical services performed by non medical staff. On occasion, some of the co-pays of services are covered by long term care insurance.