Aging and Adult Services

To begin the process call 1-877-456-1146.  At that number, a prospective recipient may speak to a representative of the Long-Term Care Access contractor. This contractor serves as an agent of the State of Louisiana to assist in the administration of this program. If a Responsible Representative is calling to apply for an applicant, he/she  must have the potential recipient's name, physical/home address, and Medicaid number readily available when he/she calls, contacts, or corresponds with the Long-Term Care Access contractor.

"Responsible representative” is defined as the person designated by the recipient to act on his/her behalf in the process of accessing personal care services.

This should be a person who is very familiar with a recipient’s medical condition, doctor’s care, hospitalizations and with the recipient’s abilities to care for him/herself. This person should have the authority of the recipient to speak in the recipient’s behalf and to make decisions concerning the needs and care of a recipient. VERY IMPORTANT – Wherever and whenever possible, the “responsible representative” designated by the recipient should be present for the in-home assessment.
   

The purpose of the personal care services is to enable an individual whose needs would otherwise require placement in an acute or long-term care facility to remain safely in that individual’s own home.

The purpose of this program is to provide help to qualified recipients (when possible & medically sound) and help them remain at home in their community rather than put them in a nursing home. 

Medicaid recipients who are either:

            1.  At least 65 years old, OR
            2.  At least 21 years old and disabled; AND           

      A Medicaid recipient who meets either of these criteria MUST ALSO:

•  Meet the requirements for nursing facility level of care, AND
• Have the ability to direct their care independently or through a responsible representative,

      AND MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

• Reside in a nursing facility and be able to be discharged if community-based services were available; OR
• Be likely to require nursing facility admission within the next 120 days; OR
• Have a primary caregiver who has a disability or is over the age of 70; OR
• Face a substantial possibility of deterioration in mental or physical condition or functioning if either home and community-based services or nursing facility services are not provided in less than 120 days.

“Disabled” is defined as meeting the eligibility criteria established by the Social Security Administration for disability benefits.

“Personal care services” are those services that provide assistance with Activities of Daily Linving (ADLs)and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs).  They may be either the actual performance of the personal care task for the individual or supervision and prompting so the individual performs the tasks by him/herself. These are activities that help a recipient remain in the community (at home), rather than a nursing home setting. The program is not a medical program, nor does it provide for daily supervision (sitters) for those approved for services.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are basic self-care tasks. By rule and by policy, the Department has established the following as ADLs:

•       Eating
•       Bathing
•       Dressing
•       Grooming
•       Transferring (getting in/out of the tub, or from bed to a chair)
•       Ambulation (ability whether physically or motorized to move about the recipient’s home, the premises, or outside the home)
•       Toileting

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) are those tasks that, although not absolutely necessary for day-to-day living, enhance the recipient's care and further assist staying in the home and community.  By rule and by policy, the Department has established the following as instrumental activities of daily living:

• Light housekeeping
• Food preparation and storage
• Shopping
• Laundry
• Reminding the recipient to take medication
• Assisting with scheduling medical appointments when necessary
• Accompanying the recipient to medical appointments 
• Assisting the recipient to access transportation

Personal care services may not be used to provide:

• Specialized nursing procedures (e.g. – insertion of feeding tube, indwelling catheter, tracheostomy care, or injections)
• Skilled nursing services
• Medication administration
• Rehabilitative services
• Specialized aide procedures (e.g. – measuring/recording vital signs, specimen collection, special skin care, etc.)
• Cleaning areas of home not occupied by recipient   
• Food preparation or laundry for anyone other than recipient
• Companionship
• Supervision
• Respite of the primary care giver

For guidance on medication administration, please click here.