Home & Community Care for Functionally Disabled Elderly Individuals

Functionally disabled elderly individuals are those age 65 or older who need help with two or more activities of daily living (ADLs), or are mentally incapacitated due to Alzheimer's or another condition. ADLs include eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring and continence. Nursing homes are a last resort for families of functionally disabled elderly individuals. Nursing home care is expensive, disruptive and can be upsetting, signaling a loss of independence. Home and community care allows the disabled elderly individual to stay in his own home and maintain some independence.

Home Health Care

• Home health care covers a wide range of services. Nursing aides provide personal care services in the home, including help with ADLs. Nursing aides may also do light housekeeping, meal preparation and clean-up, laundry and provide transportation for errands or medical appointments. You can hire nursing aides through a home health care agency or directly. Whichever route you take, make certain the aide you work with is licensed or certified according to the rules of your state.

Adult Day Care

• Another community-based care option is adult day care. Adult day care provides meals and social activities for seniors who need assistance during the day, when family members may not be available due to work or family obligations. Some adult day care providers provide more intensive health care assistance. Adult day care providers are not licensed in every state, but any reputable provider should be able to provide referrals and will allow you to observe their activities.

Family Caregiving

• Caregiving is often done by family members, but this can be extremely stressful. Seventy-five percent of caregivers are working full-time while providing 20 hours per week or more of caregiving assistance, according to a 2009 study by AARP. Many family caregivers surveyed in the study also said they felt pushed into the role and feel it's taken a toll on their health. One option for assistance is called respite care, which is bringing in paid caregivers on a short-term basis or using nursing home or assisted living for a short period of time.

Care Funding

• Many families pay for home health care or adult day care out of their own pockets. Most long-term care insurance policies will cover home health care and adult day care as well. Medicaid may pay for home and community care if you have a limited income and a limited amount of resources, and if funding is available. Each state sets its own guidelines and application process for Medicaid; contact your local Medicaid office for information on eligibility and how to apply.