Home care through Medical/Medicare?
My mom who is 91 years old suffering from dementia has Medi-Medi as an insurance. She has no assets for any future expenses. I'm interested to know how the insurance would support paying for her being cared at home, since there are several situations that she could not be put in a facility (just yet). One of them is language barrier which she doesn't speak english. I have had hard times finding facilities who have farsi speaking staffs. Also she is weak but still is functioning and very much aware of us. She becomes very distraught when I'm not around. I know she will get worse if I put her in any facility. I'm not experienced with what's available for her through the insurance or otherwise. I've been caring for her for the last 4 years nonstop! But don't like to put her under any stressors since she's doing great. I just need either a care taker at home through her insurance or an half day care at a farsi speaking facility. Any other options you suggest?
Please advice my choices.
Thank you🙏
Go to a senior center/Area Agency on Aging and ask for Supportive Services. A home evaluation (usually by a social worker), will send a translator speaking Farsi. This is for home help.
Find an attorney online, and get a free consult regarding services and benefits offered to Medi-Cal and Medicare = (Medi-Medi). 1) They speak Farsi
2) They say so on their website.
Call your mother's case worker for Medi-Cal benefits, and apply for IHSS =
In Home Supportive Services. They will send out a social worker to evaluate your Mom for IHHS. Required by law to translate in Farsi. The case worker can be found on the letters sent to you by Medi-Cal.
For example, a non-english speaking client may not have "Medicare", but instead have an income through SSI (not SSA), and have Medi-Cal benefits which may include in home supportive services benefits.
NOTE: Anyone can qualify to be your IHHS person and be paid by the State of California. (A one-day orientation and training qualifies you). Thus, this is THE real answer to caregiver's questions "Can I be paid to care for my Mom".
My husband was once paid minimum wage for a small amount of hours to care for his Mom after her stroke. Hours were according to her needs assessment. It was not helpful to obtain hours for her when she kept saying she did not need that much help. She is a U.S. citizen and had both Medicare and Medi-Cal. Or, to use the terms I am more familiar with, Medi-Medi.
We have had neighbors whose Mother only spoke Farsi, (not a U.S. citizen), but here legally. The daughter was also on Medi-Cal. Access to the Farsi Community was readily available, however, access was not obtained by asking for a Farsi staff member. For example, there may be someone on staff who speaks Farsi and English, but they do not identify themselves as providing interpreter services to the agency they work for, for many reasons.
Hard to explain, but persons who find similarities find each other. The OP may know others who speak Farsi. Once I asked a Medi-Cal question of a person whose Mother only spoke Farsi. Her answer was: "I do not know anything about Medi-Cal". Years later, I discover that her Mother was always on Medi-Cal, and in addition received even housing in an assisted living apartment. So, I am guessing the answer was: none of my business.
Benefits available to all peoples in California are not offered on a menu, but instead, one needs to ask and apply for the specific program needed. This is the reason some need a member of their community as an advocate to point the way. Services and benefits are out there.
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Medicare usually only pays for "in home" care if released from a Hospital or Rehab and its temporary. A member did say under "intermitant" in the on-line info concerning Medicare homecare you can get help on a more regular basis. She did it with her Mom and Aunt.
Do you speak Farsi also? I think it might be quite a challenge to find a home with staff who speak Farsi, unless you're in an area of others of Iranian background. I did some online research (although I don't know what area you live in) and found some links that might help:
1. "Farsi speakers in the United States can be found in large U.S. cities. One of the largest communities of Farsi speakers is located in Los Angeles. More than 300,000 Farsi speakers live in an area in Central Los Angeles, sometimes referred to as “Tehrangeles”. (See “Tehrangeles: How Iranians Made Part of LA their Own” https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19751370 )"
https://pglsinc.com/the-persian-language-focus-on-farsi/?nowprocket=1
2. Might be a "long shot" but perhaps some of these notables know of sources that could help, including other communities with Farsi speaking people:
"Many American citizens of Iranian descent have made significant contributions to the American society. Their accomplishments abound in education, science, medicine, music, and the arts. For a complete list of notable Iranian Americans, see Wikipedia article “List of Iranian Americans” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Iranian_Americans )"
3. Are there any religious institutions (mosques?) in your area where Farsi might be spoken? I'd try them, as well as any ethnic groups where Farsi would be the primary language.
4. While not specifically oriented toward any language, I found this site to be somewhat helpful: Piedmont Global Language Solutions:
https://pglsinc.com/the-persian-language-focus-on-farsi/?nowprocket=1
You might want to contact them for in turn additional contacts to locate other Farsi speaking individuals.
5. Are there any Iranian ethnic and/or social groups in your area?
Honestly, though, unless you're in a community of others with similar ethnic background, I think it will be difficult to find someone fluent in Farsi in blended communities, but it's worth a try.
I would look primarily though for those kinds of ethnic groups, especially if you're in an ethnically diverse community.
I wish you success, and hope that you let us know if you find someone, and how you located that person.
As a result of the COVID-19 virus, we are taking extra precautions for the protection of our clients and staff and have temporarily closed our IHSS office to the public; however, we are continuing to accept applications.
It is highly recommended that seniors 65 and older utilize home isolation and follow the directions of your local health authority.
To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS): In Orange County......
Call: 714-825-3000 during business hours (Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm)
Fax: Fax completed applications to 714-825-3001
Mail: Mail completed applications to P.O. Box 22006, Santa Ana, CA 92702
In-person drop off: A secured drop box is available to drop off completed applications outside the front doors of the IHSS office.
You can print out IHSS applications from the following links:
Go to their website. OCgov.com
https://www.ssa.ocgov.com/elder/ihss/apply
Other Social Services can be found on websites, such as:
L.A. and Orange County Persian Communities
Make application as shown above.
I was wondering about that on-line individual how she could provide care for her mom and Aunt? Would you know?
My mom has not been to any hospitals(thank god🙏), but bc of her alzhiemer condition could she be a candidate for the care through Medicareand or Medi-Cal(Medicaid?
Wondering if you understand that the benefit (known as IHSS) is a benefit of
Medicaid insurance.
Also known as Medi-Medi in California.