Glossary of Terms
- ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING (ADL)
- A term used to describe basic self-care
tasks that are a part of most people's regular day, such as bathing,
dressing, grooming, moving around the house, and eating. ADLs
are widely used to assess individual functioning status.
- ADOBE PDF
- Adobe PDF is a universal file format
that preserves all of the fonts, formatting, colors, and graphics
of any source document, regardless of the application and platform
used to create it. Adobe PDF files are compact and can be shared,
viewed, navigated, and printed exactly as intended by anyone
with the free Acrobat Reader.
- ADULT CARE HOME COMMUNITY ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
- Members are community citizens who
are appointed by the local board of county commissioners to work
to maintain the spirit of the Residents'
Bill of Rights as well as promote community education and
awareness of the operation of adult care homes in that county
and the needs of the persons residing in these homes.
- ADULT
CARE HOMES
-
An assisted living residence in which the housing management provides 24-hour
scheduled and unscheduled personal care services to two or more residents,
either directly or, for scheduled needs, through formal written agreement
with licensed home care or hospice agencies. Some licensed adult care homes
provide supervision to persons with cognitive impairments whose decisions,
if made independently, may jeopardize the safety or well-being of themselves
or others and therefore require supervision. Medication in an adult care
home may be administered by designated, trained staff. Adult care homes that
provide care to two to six unrelated residents are commonly called family
care homes. Adult care homes and family care homes are subject to licensure
by the Division of Health
Service Regulation.
- ADULT
DAY CARE
- The provision of group care and supervision
of adults (who may be physically or mentally disabled) in a place
other than their usual residence on a less than 24 hour basis.
Services are designed to support the adult's personal independence,
as well as their physical, social, and emotional well-being.
Adult day care programs are subject to certification by
the Division of Aging
and Adult Services.
- ADULT
DAY HEALTH CARE
- A community-based day care program
that provides health, social and recreational care, along with
rehabilitative services. Staffing is by trained professionals
and paraprofessionals and is under the supervision of a registered
nurse. The program is ideal for the elderly or physically impaired
adult who needs assistance in a protective setting during the
day. Adult day health programs are subject to certification by
the Division of Aging
and Adult Services.
- ADULT HOME SPECIALIST
- The person(s) in the county
department of social services given primary responsibility
for assessing the need for adult care homes in the county,
responding to all inquires regarding licensure, and monitoring
homes for compliance with licensure rules.
- ADULT PLACEMENT SERVICES
- Adult
Placement Services help aging or disabled adults find appropriate
living and healthcare arrangements when their health, safety,
and well-being can no longer be maintained at home. Placement
arrangements are made in adult care homes, nursing homes, other
substitute homes, residential health care settings, or institutions.
Adults and their families receive help to complete medical
evaluations and financial applications, and locate and move
to new settings. They also may receive counseling to help them
adjust to the change.
Adult placement services also help elderly and disabled adults in the following
situations:
- Those unable to maintain themselves
in their own homes independently or with available community
or family supports.
- Those living in substitute
homes, residential health care facilities, or institutions
and need assistance in relocating due to changes in level
of care needed.
- Those who need assistance in
returning to more independent living arrangements.
- Those who need assistance in
adjusting to or maintaining their placements due to individual
or family problems or a lack of resources.
All 100 county
departments of social services provide Adult Placement Services.
- ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE
- A progressive, degenerative disease
that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking,
and behavior.
- AMERICANS
with DISABILITY ACT (ADA)
- Federal law which provides comprehensive
civil rights protections for persons with disabilities. The Act
defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially
limits one or more major life activities.
- AREA
AGENCY ON AGING
- Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) plan,
coordinate, and advocate for the development of a comprehensive
service delivery system to meet the needs of older people in
a specific geographic area. The AAA's provide training and technical
support to county agencies that offer services to older adults.
- ASSESSMENT
- Activities performed by at least
one professional (preferably a social worker and/or a nurse)
to determine a person's current functional abilities and resources
in six areas: physical health, mental health, social support,
activities of daily living, environmental conditions, and financial
situation. Assessment includes a home visit by a professional.
Once the assessment is completed, activities related to developing
and implementing a client service plan becomes part of case management.
- ASSISTED
LIVING
- "Assisted living residence" means
any group housing and services program for two or more unrelated
adults, by whatever name it is called, that makes available,
at a minimum, one meal a day and housekeeping services and provides
personal care services directly or through a formal written agreement
with one or more licensed home care or hospice agencies. The
Department may allow nursing service exceptions on a case-by-case
basis. Settings in which services are delivered may include self-contained
apartment units or single or shared room units with private or
area baths. Assisted living residences are to be distinguished
from nursing homes subject to provisions of G.S. 131E-102.
- ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES (ALDs)
- Devices that increase loudness of
specific sounds by bringing sound directly into the hearing aid
or ear. ALDs solve three problems: minimizing background noise,
reducing the effect of distance between hard of hearing people
and the sound source and overriding poor acoustics.
- ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY
- Any technology or device which enables
an individual to be more independent and/or enables an individual
to accomplish a task. Examples of assistive technology includes
motorized wheelchairs, TTY communicators, print readers, computers,
voice-activated devices, etc.
- ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR DEAF AND
HARD OF HEARING
- The Division
of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) can
provide consultation and training on the use of assistive listening
devices and other assistive technology for the deaf and hard
of hearing. Through their Telecommunications Equipment Distribution
Program (TEDP), low income residents with hearing loss may
be eligible to receive free telecommunications equipment.
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- BLINDNESS
- Only two services provided by the Division
of Services for the Blind have eligibility criteria requiring
that a consumer be legally blind. They are In-Home Level
I and Special Assistance for the Blind. However, DSB provides
many other services that only require the consumer to be
severely visually impaired and eligibility determination
is made based on the consumer's eye report. Contact should
be made with the Social Worker for the Blind in the local Department
of Social Services for a determination of eligibility
for Independent Living Services as well as referral to various
other service programs in the agency.
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- CAPTIONING
- A process of translating the audio
portion of video programming into text that appears at top
or bottom of screen. Open captioning is similar to subtitles-available
for all to read onscreen; closed captioning requires a decoder
device or chip in order to make the captions visible onscreen.
Required of television manufacturers by federal law since July
of 1994, closed captioning is most frequently used in TV programming.
Other uses include videotapes, advertisements, video paging
systems, etc. For more information about obtaining captioning
services, contact the National Captioning Institute (NCI) at
1900 Gallows Road, Suite 3000, Vienna, VA, 22182, (703) 91707600
(V/TTY).
- CARE-LINE
- The information and referral service
of the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
- CARE MANAGEMENT or CASE MANAGEMENT
- This service provides professional
assistance (typically registered nurses and/or social workers)
to older adults and their families by identifying, accessing,
and coordinating services that are necessary to enable the
older adult to remain in the least restructured environment.
- CERTIFICATE OF NEED (CON)
- A competitive application process
managed by the Division
of Health Service Regulation by which providers acquire
new institutional health care services (i.e., nursing home
beds, hospital beds, rehabilitative beds, home health agencies
and hospices, etc.) in accordance with the State
Medical Facilities Plan. This serves as a quality assurance
process for the state to manage quantity and costs of medical
services.
- CHORE SERVICES
- See In-Home Aide
Services
- COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
- A term that refers to damage or
loss of intellectual or mental functioning. The act or process
of "knowing", including awareness or judgment, is impaired. Alzheimer's
disease is the most common cause of cognitive impairment
among older adults.
- COMBINATION FACILITY
- A facility licensed under G.S.
131E-102 providing intermediate care and/or skilled nursing
care and adult home care.
- COMMUNITY
ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM (CAP)
- A Medicaid waiver program that
provides community-based services to disabled adults, mentally
retarded adults, children, and persons with AIDS who meet the
medical requirements for nursing home level care. CAP services
may include traditional Medicaid home health services (nursing,
physical therapy, home health aide, etc.), as well as services
not generally available under Medicaid (home delivered meals,
respite care, in-home aide services, etc.).
- CONGREGATE LIVING
- A living arrangement in which two
or more unrelated individuals reside in a house or apartment.
- CONTINUING
CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY (CCRC )
- A facility that offers a continuum
of care-from independent living, assisted-living, or rest home
care, to nursing home care. Individuals are offered an independent
living lifestyle with the security of knowing supportive and
health care services are available if needed.
- COST SHARING
- The concept of soliciting a portion
of the cost of a service provided from the service recipient.
- COUNCIL ON AGING (COA)
- A private, nonprofit organization
or public agency that serves as a county focal point on aging
and traditionally provides supportive services to older adults
(located in some, but not all counties). Sometimes they serve
as advisory boards to the county board of commissioners. Department
on Aging is the term typically used when it is a public agency.
- COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
(DSS)
- A public agency that provides a
range of services and public assistance to older and disabled
adults, as well as children. County
DSS's are located in all 100 counties in North Carolina.
Services potentially available to adults include: Adult Protective
Services, Guardianship, Foster Care Services and Placement,
In-Home Aide Services, Transportation, At-Risk Case Management,
Individual & Family Adjustment, and Adult Care Home Case Management.
DSS's are also responsible for the primary consultation involved
in monitoring of adult care homes and adult day care/day health
programs.
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- DEAF-BLIND
- The inability to understand conversation
with optimum amplification. Visual acuity usually does not
exceed 20/200 in the better eye with corrective lens. Visual
acuity is greater than 20/200 if the visual field is constricted
to 20 degrees or less or a progressive condition that will
lead to significant hearing and vision loss. A deaf-blind individual
may prefer a qualified tactile or up-close interpreter.
- DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITY
- North Carolina General Statute
122C-3(12a) defines a developmental disability as "a severe,
chronic disability of a person which: is attributable to a
mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and
physical impairments; is manifested before the person attains
age 22, unless the disability is caused by traumatic head injury
and is manifested after age 22; is likely to continue indefinitely;
results in substantial functional limitations in three or more
of the following area of major life activity [self-care, receptive
understanding) and expressive language learning, mobility (ability
to move), self-direction (motivation), the capacity for independent
living, and economic self-sufficiency]; reflects the person's
need for a combination or sequence of special interdisciplinary
services which are of a lifelong or extended duration and are
individually planned and coordinated; or when applied to children
from birth through four years of age, may be evidenced as a
developmental delay."
- DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
- Equipment (often prescribed by
a doctor) to serve a medical purpose. Example: wheelchairs,
bedside commodes, and hospital beds. Insurance considers payment
on rental or purchase of this equipment.
- FAMILY
CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM (FCSP)
- The Older Americans Act Amendments
of 2000 established the National Family Caregiver Support Program
to assist the aging network to develop a multi-faceted system
of supports for caregivers. The Division of Aging and Adult Services
and Area Agencies on Aging are administering the program in North
Carolina.
- FAMILY CARE HOME
-
"Family care home" means an adult care home having two to six residents. The
structure of a family care home may be no more than two stories high and none
of the aged or physically disabled persons being served there may be housed in
the upper story without provision for two direct exterior ground-level accesses
to the upper story. It is licensed by the Division
of Health Service Regulation.
- FL-2
- Long-Term Services prior approval
form which gives a summary of the patient's medical requirements
and which reflect the attending physician's recommendation for
the level of care needed in an institutional setting. An approved
FL-2 is required for any Medicaid recipient in a skilled nursing
facility (SNF)or an intermediate care facility (ICF). An FL-2
must also be completed by the attending physician prior to admission
to an adult care home and at least annually thereafter.
- FOOD
STAMPS
- A federal program that provides a
monthly allotment of Food Stamp benefits issued via Electronic
Benefit Transfer cards (ATM cards). The Food Stamp Program is
an entitlement program, so all eligible individuals and households
can receive assistance. Food Stamp benefits may be used to purchase
most foods at participating stores. They may not be used to purchase
tobacco, pet food, paper products, soap products, or alcoholic
beverages. Administrative costs are 50% federal and 50% county.
The stamps are 100% federal.
- FOSTER CARE SERVICES FOR ADULTS
- A service than involves recruiting,
developing, and evaluating adult care homes to determine if they
meet the needs of residents and to help them improve upon their
service. All county
DSS's that have an adult care home in their county provide
this service.
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- GROUP HOME FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED
ADULTS
- Provides care for 2 to 9 people.
These are small residences, usually located in a regular neighborhood.
Only adults who are developmentally disabled can live in these
homes. They must be able to participate in community activities
(ADAP, Sheltered Workshop jobs), be ambulatory, and either have
or be able to develop self-help skills. The care provided includes
room and board, personal assistance, supervision, and training
with goal planning to help people develop self-help skills.
- GUARDIANSHIP
- The legal authority and duty given
by the court to a person (guardian) for the purpose of assuming
responsibility for the care and maintenance of another person
(ward), who has been determined incapable of handling his/her
own personal affairs. The powers and authority conferred upon
a guardian depend on what type of guardianship is granted by
the court.
- Guardian of the Estate - Is
responsible for collecting, preserving, and administering
the property and income of the ward.
- Guardian of the Person - Is
entitled to custody of the ward and is responsible for
the ward's care, comfort and maintenance. The guardian
makes decisions such as where the ward will live, gives
consent for medical or professional treatment of for the
ward. The Guardian of the Person is responsible for the
basic physical care of the ward and his/her immediate personal
effects.
- General Guardian - Performs
the duties of both the Guardian of the Estate and Guardian
of the Person.
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- HARD OF HEARING
- A hearing loss, which interferes
with but does not totally preclude auditory and vocal communication.
Hearing aids and other amplification or assistive listening devices
often significantly assist these individuals.
- HOME
AND COMMUNITY CARE BLOCK GRANT (HCCBG)
- Federal and state funds administered
by the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services and
Adult Services (DOA). The Division receives funds from the Older
Americans Act (OAA), Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and
the State General Assembly.
- HOME-DELIVERED MEALS
- A nutrition
program that utilizes volunteers to deliver at least one
hot nutritious meal per day (usually 5 days a week) to homebound
adults. The meal offers one-third of the Recommended Daily
Dietary Allowance.
- HOME HEALTH SERVICES
- Health care prescribed by a physician
and given in the home to a person in need of medical care. Services
may include skilled nursing services, therapy services (physical
therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy), medical social
services, health promotion services, and home health aide services.
- HOMEMAKER SERVICES
- See In-home Aide
Services
- HOSPICE CARE
- A service provided for terminally
ill patients and their families. A hospice agency provides medical,
nursing, and supportive services to meet the needs of families
and patients in the last six months of the patient's life.
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- ICF-MR
- Intermediate care facilities for
the mentally retarded.
- IN-HOME AIDE
SERVICES
- The in-home aide services previously
known as Chore, Homemaker, Homemaker-Home Health Aide, Respite,
and Personal Care Services have been incorporated into a single
service entitled, "In-Home Aide Services". These are paraprofessional
services that assist children and adults, their families, or
both, with essential home management tasks, personal care tasks,
supervision, or all of the above. Their purpose is to allow these
individuals to function effectively in their own homes and the
community for as long as possible.
The four levels of care are:
- HOME MANAGEMENT
Level I: In-Home Aide Services at this level are intended to provide
support to those needing assistance with basic home management tasks,
such as housekeeping, cooking, shopping, and bill paying. Personal
care tasks may not be performed at this level.
- PERSONAL CARE
Level II: In-Home Aide Services at this level are intended to provide
support to persons/families who predominately require assistance
with basic personal care (bathing, shaving, toileting, and personal
hygiene), and associated home management tasks.
- HOME MANAGEMENT
Level III: In-Home Aide Services at this level are intended to provide
intensive education and support to persons/families in carrying out
home management tasks and improving family functioning skills.
- PERSONAL CARE
Level III: In-Home Aide Services at this level are intended to provide
substantial activities of daily living (ADL) support to individuals/families
who require assistance with health and personal care tasks. Provision
of these tasks involves extensive "hands-on" care and potential assistance
with a wide range of health related conditions.
- HOME MANAGEMENT
Level IV: In-Home Aide Services at this level are intended to provide
a wide range of educational and supportive services to persons/families
who are in crisis or who require long term assistance with complex
home management tasks and family functioning skills. Provision of
the service involves quick and creative response to individual/family
crisis situations identified by the case manager. It also may focus
on conducting appropriate learning sessions with small groups of
persons from different families who have similar needs.
The Division of Aging
and Adult Services has information about this service.
- INFORMATION
AND ASSISTANCE (I & A)
- The provision of I & A for older
persons and their families is designed to: assess and evaluate
an individual's needs; inform and educate about programs and
services available across the long-term care continuum; refer
and/or directly connect the individual to appropriate resources;
provide assistance to negotiate the service delivery system;
work with long distance caregivers in identifying and locating
needed services; and advocate on behalf on individuals or a group
to obtain change in the delivery or availability of services.
Also see CARE-LINE
- INSTRUMENTAL ACTIVITIES OF DAILY
LIVING (IADL)
- Basic tasks that are essential to
living independently, such as cooking meals, housekeeping, laundry,
paying bills, shopping, and using the telephone.
- INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CARE
- A level of care in a nursing facility
that provides 24-hour assistance, with a minimum of eight hours
of coverage daily by a licensed nurse, but no requirement for
24-hour skilled nursing services. Medicaid pays for skilled and
intermediate care. Medicare pays only for skilled care.
- INTERPRETERS
- Professionals who are trained to
facilitate communication between deaf/hard of hearing people
and others not familiar with sign language or alternative communication
methods. Interpreters are employed in a variety of situations,
including one-on-one and group interactions. Because there are
several types of interpreters, one must check with participants
regarding the best choice(s) for given situation(s):
- American Sign Language (ASL):
a manual language with its own vocabulary, syntax and grammar,
distinct from spoken languages (e.g., English) and from sign
languages in other countries.
- Manually Coded English (MCE),
formerly known as Pidgin Signed English (PSE), and Signed Exact
English (SEE): different "hybrid" methods of using sign language
communication, which combines elements of ASL and spoken (English)
language.
- Oral/Aural: Usually
work with deaf/hard of hearing individuals who rely primarily
or solely on speechreading. These interpreters choose words,
phrases, and enunciations that are more easily visible on the
lips.
- Tactile: provide
services to people who are visually impaired as well as deaf
or hard of hearing. Typically, these interpreters work one-on-one,
because the signing is done directly in or on the hands of the
consumer.
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- LATE DEAFENED
- Individuals who have lost their hearing
post-lingually (after spoken language development) and who often
require the use of assistive listening devices and visually-oriented
communication strategies (e.g., CART, written materials). Onset
of this type of hearing loss can be sudden or gradual.
- LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE
- A type of insurance designed to pay
some or all of the costs of nursing home, community, or home
health care. The Seniors'
Health Insurance Information Program provides useful information
on this form of insurance.
- LONG
TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN
- A professional who serves as an advocate
for long-term care residents of nursing homes and adult care
homes. Advocacy includes educating individuals about their rights
and complex rules or regulations governing the long term care
system. An Ombudsman can be requested to investigate concerns
and serve as a mediator for conflict resolution should a resident
encounter difficulty exercising rights.
Ombudsmen are available to:
- Serve as a resource for anyone
who has questions about long term care regulations;
- Be involved in the care planning
process or family meetings;
- Provide training to staff,
resident councils, or family councils;
- Provide information and referral;
- Provide state survey results
on local facilities; and
- Talk about any situation that
may arise from being a resident, family member, or staff
person of a facility.
The Long Term Care Ombudsman
program is federally mandated through the Older Americans
Act. There is at least one Ombudsman for each of the 17 aging
regions in North Carolina. Each county also has local Community
Advisory Committees. These are volunteers who are appointed
by the county commissioners to serve as grass roots advocates
for residents in the facilities.
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- MEDICAID (TITLE
XIX of the Social Security Act)
- A Federal- and State-funded health
care program for eligible persons. To be eligible a person must
meet income and assets limits, and be aged, blind, disabled,
a member of a family with dependent children, or a pregnant woman.
Some people are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. Administered
by the Division of Medical
Assistance in the North Carolina Department of Health and
Human Services, the program provides medical care for qualifying
recipients. Applications for Medicaid are made through the County
Department of Social Services.
- MEDICARE
- A Federal health insurance program
for persons aged 65 and over who are eligible for Social Security
or Railroad Retirement benefits and for some people who are disabled
regardless of age. There are two parts: Part A is hospital insurance
which is automatic, for those eligible, and Part B covers the
physician and other services. Part B is voluntary and requires
a monthly premium.
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- NURSING HOME COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
- Members are community citizens who
are appointed by the local board of county commissioners to work
to maintain the spirit of the Residents'
Bill of Rights as well as promote community education and
awareness of the operation of nursing homes in that county and
the needs of the persons residing in these homes. The Ombudsman
Program supports the work of these advisory comittees.
- NURSING
HOMES
- Skilled nursing and intermediate-care
facilities.
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- OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST (OT)
- Occupational therapists assist in
rehabilitation through the design and implementation of individualized
programs to improve or restore functions impaired by illness
or injury.
- OLDER
AMERICANS ACT (OAA)
- Federal legislation established in
1965 providing broad policy objectives designed to meet the needs
of older persons. The key philosophy of the program has been
to help maintain and support older persons in their homes and
communities and to avoid unnecessary or premature institutionalization.
- OMBUDSMAN
- A representative of a public agency
or a nonprofit organization who investigates and resolves complaints
made by or on the behalf of older individuals who are residents
of long-term care facilities. In North Carolina the State
Long-Term Care Ombudsman is located in the Division of Aging
and Adult Services of the Department of Health and Human Services.
There are Regional Ombudsmen across the state who are located
within the Area
Agency on Aging, a part of the regional council of government.
- OUTREACH
- Agency activities to increase the
public awareness of services to older persons and to provide
information on available services.
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- PERSONAL CARE
- See In-Home Aide
Services
- PERSONAL
CARE SERVICES (PCS)
- Paraprofessional care (comparable
to In-Home Aide Services, Personal Care Levels II and III) covered
by Medicaid for eligible persons.
- PERSONAL EMERGENCY ALARM RESPONSE
- A service that uses telephone lines
to alert a central monitoring facility (often a hospital emergency
room) of an emergency in the household. This service is predominantly
used by older adults who live alone and are at risk of medical
emergencies (Example: Life line).
- POVERTY LEVEL
- An income
guideline established federally to define individuals who
are economically disadvantaged. In North Carolina, it is also
the income level that establishes eligibility for Medicaid.
- PRIMARY ADJUSTMENT SERVICES
- Services are provided to enable eligible
blind or visually impaired individuals to attain and/or maintain
the highest level of functioning possible, to promote their well-being,
and to prevent or reduce dependency. This is achieved through
a focused regimen of counseling and casework assistance to individuals
and their families.
- PROTECTIVE
SERVICES FOR ADULTS
- Disabled adults are vulnerable to
abuse, neglect, and exploitation. County
departments of social services receive and evaluate reports
to determine whether disabled adults are in need of protective
services and what services are needed (as required by Article
6, Chapter 108A of the North Carolina General Statutes). Disabled
adults or disabled emancipated minors present in North Carolina
who are reported to be abused, neglected, or exploited, and in
need of protective services are eligible to receive this service
without regard to income.
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- QUALIFIED
MEDICARE BENEFICIARY/MEDICARE-AID (QMB)
- Assistance for those who do not qualify
for Medicaid, but whose income is very low (pays Medicare Part
B premiums and deductibles for A and B, etc).
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- RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
- A housing complex designed for older
adults. Many of the retirement
communities allow monthly rental, while others require purchase
of the unit. Persons living in retirement communities are generally
able to care for themselves; however, assistance from home care
agencies is allowed by some communities. Activities and socialization
are provided.
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- Senior
Care Program
- This program is designed specifically
to provide assistance to North Carolina seniors diagnosed with
one of three diseases, who meet the income guidelines, and who
are coping with the rising costs of prescription medicine. At
this site, you may find out details concerning the program's
benefits, information on eligibility, etc.
- SENIOR
COMPANION PROGRAM
- Provides a stipend to low income
older adults to volunteer to provide in-home services to the
elderly to help them live independently. Available in a limited
number of counties in North Carolina.
- SENIOR
HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION PROGRAM (SHIIP)
- Sponsored by the N. C. Insurance
Commissioner's Office. Volunteers assist older adults with information
about all types of insurance issues, including long-term
care insurance.
- SKILLED NURSING FACILITY (SNF)
- A nursing home that provides 24 hour-a-day
nursing services for a person who has serious health care needs
but does not require the intense level of care provided in a
hospital. Rehabilitation services may also be provided. Many
of these facilities are federally certified, which means they
may participate in Medicaid or Medicare programs.
- SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT (SSBG)
- Federal funds (Title XX of the Social
Security Act, with state and county match) provide a variety
of services for children and adults. Examples are Adult Protective
Services (APS), Placement, Guardianship, In-Home Aide Services,
and Transportation.
- SPECIAL
ASSISTANCE FOR ADULTS (S/CSA)
- Special Assistance is program that
provides an income supplement to assist low-income elderly and
disabled adults pay for their cost of care (room and board) in
an Adult Care Home. SA eligible facilities can include Family
Care Homes, Group Homes for the Developmentally Disabled, Adult
Care Homes, Group Homes for the Mentally Ill, Combination facilities,
and some participating Hospice residential facilities. The two
major recipient categories are Special Assistance for the Aged
(SAA), for recipients 65 or older, and Special Assistance for
the Disabled (SAD), for recipients between the ages of 18 and
64 who are determined disabled based on Social Security guidelines.
Recipients in both categories must reside in a licensed adult
care home facility and meet all other eligibility criteria. See
the State/County
Special Assistance for Adults Program Information Brochure for
more information regarding this program. Special Assistance for
Certain Disabled (SCD) is also available in some counties. These
recipients are adults between 18 and 64 who are living in their
own homes, are unemployable because of an impairment, but who
have not been able to meet the Social Security disability requirements.
The SA program is supervised by the Division of Social Services,
Adult and Family Services Section, and administered by the 100 county
departments of social services. Funding for SA is 50% state
dollars and 50% county dollars with 100% of the administration
costs being paid by the counties.
- SPECIAL ASSISTANCE
FOR THE BLIND
- Special Assistance for the Blind
(SAB) is available in all 100 counties to persons who are legally
blind and whose financial resources are not sufficient to meet
his/her daily living demands (as defined by income guidelines
of the program). SAB is a joint program of State and County agencies
with the funding sources as 50% state and 50% county. There are
two types of financial assistance available from Special Assistance
for the Blind:
- Cash payments for eligible
blind individuals residing in a rest home
- Cash payments provided for
eligible blind individuals residing in private living arrangements.
An application can be obtained
by contacting the Social Worker for the Blind in any County
Department of Social Services or by contacting the SAB
Eligibility Specialist in the State Office of the Division
of Services for the Blind (919-733-9744). The application
should then be completed and an eye report should be attached.
If the applicant is a resident of a rest home (an adult care
home) or a specialized community residential center or is
planning to enter one of these facilities, a FL-2 Form (Level
of Care Designation Form) which has been completed by a physician
should be attached. The application is processed by the SAB
Eligibility Specialist in the State Office of DSB and the
applicant is notified by mail of the eligibility decision.
- SUPPLEMENTAL
SECURITY INCOME (SSI)
- A federal program that pays monthly
checks to people in need who are 65 years or older and to people
in need at any age who are blind and disabled. The purpose of
the program is to provide sufficient resources so that anyone
who is 65, or blind, or disabled can have a basic monthly income.
Eligibility is based on income and assets. SSI is administered
nationally and locally by the Social Security Administration.
- SUPPORT GROUPS
- Usually made up of caregivers, family
members, and friends of a person experiencing an illness such
as Alzheimer's Disease, cancer, Parkinson's, etc. People are
brought together by a common concern, situation, or experience.
A professional usually facilitates group discussion and sharing
of experiences and feelings. Educational programs are also common
among support groups. Contact the Family
Caregiver Resource Specialists at your Area Agency on Aging
for information about support groups.
Support groups for severely visually impaired and blind persons
have been organized in many counties. They vary in their organization
as some are recreational while others are more therapeutic.
Many persons benefit from these groups as it is helpful to
know that one is not alone in dealing with severe vision loss.
Contact should be made with the Social Worker for the Blind
at the County Department
of Social Services to determine if and when a support group
meets in the county.
- SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDER (SSP)
- Refers to individuals who assist
people who are deaf-blind with a range of tasks such as, but
not limited to, visual guide, driver (transportation) and tactile
or up-close interpreter.
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- TRANSPORTATION
- There is some assistance with general
transportation and transportation to medical services in some extent in every NC county .
- TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN (TDP)
- A required 5-year county plan for
a coordinated system of transportation, submitted to NCDOT (North
Carolina Department of Transportation) in order to receive federal
funds.
- TTY
- Telecommunications device for persons
who are deaf or hard of hearing (TDD): A device similar to a
computer keyboard, either with a cradle to rest a telephone hand
set on or connected directly to the telephone. A TDD allows the
user to communicate by typing messages on the keyboard and receiving
message on the screen about the keyboard. The teletext devise
typewriter is usually referred to as a TTY by members of the
deaf and hard of hearing community.
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- VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
- Supported by both Federal and State
moneys, allocated for the specific purpose of vocational services.
The services of the Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation include diagnostic procedures,
surgery and treatment, prosthetic devices, hospital convalescent,
training material, maintenance, occupational expenses, interpreter
services, and transportation. The Independent
Living Program also provides personal assistant services.
Vocational rehabilitation services are provided to persons who are severely
visually impaired and blind by the Division
of Services for the Blind (DSB). All services provided by this program
are aimed toward employment. However, there are Independent Living Rehabilitation
Counselors who serve people who do not plan to go to work but need to improve
their independent living skills.
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Last updated
April 26, 2013
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