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Other ArticlesElimination of Adult Day Health Care Services and the Impact on Long-Term Care Planning
By Sara Polinsky, Esq.
One possible alternative may be to apply for
benefits under the In-Home Supportive Services
program (IHSS), which helps subsidize some of the
costs of in-home care, based on an evaluation of
need by a social worker. However, it is not a
good alternative due to the fact that it, too, has
been severely cut recently. Furthermore, IHSS
participation and hours are determined by a social
worker and ultimately, the care is provided in the
home. One of the biggest problems that the
elderly and their caregivers face is isolation and
lack of socialization. ADHC Centers allow them
to participate in numerous programs and socialize
with others at the same time.
Although several advocacy organizations,
including Disability Rights California, are
attempting to bring a federal lawsuit as an effort
to prevent the elimination of coverage for ADHC
programs, there is no way to know for certain what
the outcome will be.
From a long-term care planning perspective, it
now becomes more important than ever for families to
discuss their wishes and plans in the event of a
serious illness. Those who will be acting on
behalf of an elderly or incapacitated person should
know, among other things, what kind of care they
wish to receive and where they would like to live.
I often see relationships between adult children of
clients fall apart because they have differing views
of what is in “Mom’s best interest,” and Mom never
made her wishes clear. Designating
decision-makers for financial and medical affairs in
the event of incapacity should be a priority and
great thought should be given to these nominations.
While it is certain that planning ahead cannot avoid
every potential problem, such as cuts to government
programs and elimination of much-needed community
services (such as those offered at ADHC Centers), it
can definitely minimize the frustration, struggle
and confusion that often arise when someone becomes
ill or incapacitated.
Sara Polinsky focuses
her law practice on counseling families and
individuals in the areas of Estate Planning and
Elder Law, focusing on eligibility for Medi-Cal
Long-Term Care benefits. She conducts several
seminars and workshops for the general public
throughout the Los Angeles area on topics such as
“Living Trusts,” “Planning for Incapacity,”
“Transferring Property for Long-Term Care,” and
“Planning for Medi-Cal Long-Term Care Eligibility,”
as well as in-services and trainings for case
managers and social workers. She is also the
Co-Founder of Make A Senior Smile, a non-profit
organization whose mission is to provide resources,
life enrichment opportunities, and generate
smiles for seniors. www.makeaseniorsmile.org.
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