1) How would a disabled individual be assessed for meeting the criteria to live in one of the supported apartments?
Generally, there is a
care plan
, a determination and assessment is completed to identify that people can live independently. At this time, long term and short-term goals are created and the plan helps to determine the kind of support they need to make it a successful living experience, whether that is meals, or housekeeping, doing laundry.
2) What is one of the key features of the Care Plan related to the individuals living solution?
An area that is sometimes forgotten is
socialization.
The individual needs to be able to get out of the apartment and into the community. I learned this both at JFS Housing, Inc. as well as in my time as Board President of Balance, inc.
Independent living is a goal to reach for,
but it’s just as important for the disabled individual to be able to integrate within their community and have social relationships, friendships, etc.
3) How often do those Care plans need to be updated?
They need to be updated
every couple of years
with the goal of providing greater independence over time. For example, if a key area of an individual’s Care Plan is assistance with doing their own laundry. The plan would include any
supports needed
to help the individual learn the skills needed to be able to complete their laundry independently. If someone is living alone or with roommates, it’s important that they can do their own laundry.
4) What is one of the challenges of transitioning an adult with a disability from their parents home
(the only home they have known)
to a supported apartment?
We find often that people with disabilities live with their parents until their parents are elderly and the parents have done everything for them, and the parents do not recognize that the
child could be more independent.
The parents, by
doing most everything
for that child has not set them up for a successful transition, and it may be the parent who needs coaching as much as the child.
Sylvan asked me a question:
5)
Sylvan:
Are you advising parents that it’s possible that public benefits such as Medicaid will not be available down the road?
Me –
YES,
my job is to complete worst-case scenario planning in all aspects of my role as a
Financial Advisor
. In the same way that I prepare a retirement projection for a 25-year-old who would like to look at their future
with and without
considering Social Security as a source of Income. It is my job to address the
reduction, or potential elimination of public benefits
in the projections I use my Special Needs Planning . Yes, SSI provides
~$750
monthly for Room and Board, and Medicaid (Family Care or IRIS) may meet all their other supportive assistance needs, but what
if that was decreased by 50%, or 75%, or not there at all.
How would those expenses be supplemented privately?
6) For an individual who lives in a supported apartment, are most of their needs covered by public benefits?
Yes, which is why I asked this question, for example, individuals living in an apartment through Balance, Inc, they really don’t need many other resource to live.
They are mostly covered through the disabled individual’s public benefits.
However, as the
individual ages and their care needs change,
it’s possible that the funding
does not keep up
with the changes that this may bring.
The current Vice President of Housing and Residential Services at Jewish Family Services is Daniel Fleischman. He shared a few other points about Housing @ JFS to meet the disabled individuals needs.
Dan stated:
In your interview with Kathy Schmitz, she talked about Residential Care Apartment Complexes(RCAC)or Supported Apartments that serve the disability community. While our core population at Deerwood Crossing consists of older adults, we have also served
people with intellectual (and other) disabilities for years.
RCACs
cannot provide the same level of care
as Community Based Residential Facilities, but they can be an
excellent and economical choice for the right person.
Deerwood provides assistance with personal cares, med administration, three meals a day, laundry, housekeeping, and transportation to medical appointments. We also offer
daily social activities.
Deerwood Crossing is an affordable (Section 42) building, which means that residents need to qualify based on income. Unlike most RCACs in the area,
we do not have a waitlist for persons on Family Care, and we do not require persons on Family Care to pay privately for a period of time.
Deerwood Crossing accepts payment from
Family Care, Community Care, and iCare upon move-in.
This accords with our mission of serving low-income individuals in need.
While we are generally a 55+ community, we have made exceptions to this for younger persons with disabilities who need services. We have one- and two-bedroom apartments. The 2BR apartments are great for roommates.
