Service Definitions
HOMEMAKER
A purchased service designed to maintain household functioning when a client is assessed to require assistance. Activities are limited to the following: shopping, menu planning, meal preparation including special diets; light housekeeping, including but not limited to vacuuming, laundry, dusting, dry mopping, dishwashing, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, changing beds; training in home management skills; socialization in conjunction with one or more other activities.
PERSONAL CARE
Activities performed by specially trained homemakers to assist the client with the following: bathing, dressing, and grooming (hair care: shampoo and combing); foot care, excluding nail cutting; assistance with dentures; shaving (limited to shaving with an electric razor); assisting with bedpan routines; assisting with eating; assisting with ambulating; and assisting with transfers (excluding transfers if the client is totally dependent).
CHORE
Designed to make a client’s home more habitable and/or to correct hazards that are detrimental to a client’s health and safety. Heavy chore activities include: vacuuming (including the moving of furniture to vacuum), washing floors and walls, defrosting freezers, cleaning ovens, cleaning attics and basements to remove fire and health hazards.
TRANSPORTATION
Designed to transport client to grocery stores or medical appointments for non-Medicaid clients.
COMPANIONS
Designed to provide company and supervision to lonely, isolated clients and to provide relief to family members. Activities include: socialization, help with shopping and errands, escort to doctor’s appointments; walks, recreational activities (such as playing cards, writing letters); and assistance with the preparation and serving of light snacks.
SOCIAL DAY CARE
Provided at a day care center. Includes planned recreational and social activities suited to the needs of participants and designed to encourage physical and mental exercise and stimulate social interaction.
HOME DELIVERED MEALS
The provision of well balanced meals to clients who are unable to prepare nutritionally adequate meals, lack a support system to assist with meal preparation, and cannot attend a meal site.
HOME HEALTH SERVICES
Provided to those clients who are in need of home health services and are not eligible for the Medicaid program. This may include skilled nursing, home health aides, and physical, occupational and speech therapies.
ADULT DAY HEALTH
Provided by Adult Day Health Programs approved for operation by the Department of Public Welfare. The general goal of the program is to provide an alternative to twenty-four hour a day, long-term care and supervision, restorative services and socialization.
PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM (PERS)
A medical communications alerting system that allows a client experiencing a medical emergency at home to activate electronic components which transmit a coded signal over telephone lines to a central monitoring station. The station is staffed by trained attendants who process the emergency call and notify the appropriate responder or emergency services.
ADAPTIVE HOUSING SERVICES
Services related to the provision of minor housing adaptations and/or minor home modifications for clients who require this service in order to remain independent or to improve independence in the community. A maximum of $500 per client per calendar year may be spent on Adaptive Housing Services.
TRANSLATION/INTERPRETATION SERVICES
Provided to clients whose primary language is not English, by way of an interpreter.
GROCERY SHOPPING
A service that provides grocery shopping and delivery on a regular basis.
MEDICATION DISPENSER
An automated dispenser that allows an elder to receive medication at appropriate intervals.
WANDERER’S ALERT
A program administered through the Alzheimer’s Association, which registers a person with dementia, and if that person wanders, identifying information is forwarded to police and community health agencies.
VISION REHABILITATION
A service designed to instruct people who are visually impaired in the use of compensatory skills and aids that will enable them to live safely, productively, independently and up to their maximum potential.
HABILITATION THERAPY
A service to support caregivers to create and maintain a positive experience for a person experiencing the effects of a dementia related illness. The objective is to provide education and support to the caregiver and to provide suggestions to modify the environment that may exacerbate the disabilities of the disease.
For information regarding contracts up for bid this fiscal year, please contact ESWA’s Provider Contracts Manager at 508-756-1545
