Home Care for the Elderly (HCE) provides a
financial subsidy for families to provide care for low-income frail elders who would be eligible for nursing home care. It encourages the provision of
care for elders in their own homes or the home of a family member or caregiver. It is a family-type living arrangement in private homes as an alternative
to nursing home care.
Who Should Be Referred:
To be eligible for HCE, one must be aged 60 or older and at risk of nursing home placement due to scoring in the moderate to high range
on the uniform client assessment. Clients must be financially eligible according to the guidelines established by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs
and must have a caregiver who is 18 or older (relative or friend) who is physically present in the home. All initial referrals are handled through the Elder Helpline.
Services Provided Include:
Case Management - A case manager is assigned to every client to assess the problems that the individual is experiencing and to work with the client
and caregiver to determine what services can best resolve those problems.
Basic Subsidy - A monthly stipend of $106 is provided to the full-time caregiver to offset the caregiver's cost of providing care to an elderly relative.
Special Subsidy - In authorized cases, special subsidies are provided to purchase goods and services and to assist with the additional expenses
related to client care.
Funding:
Funding is made available through the West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging, State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Hillsborough
County Board of County Commissioners. |