The Detroit Area Agency on Aging offers care-management and supportive services to eligible, frail older adults who live in the Detroit Empowerment Zone. Care-management services are designed to locate, mobilize and manage a variety of home and community services needed by frail older persons at risk of nursing home placement. An assessor conducts a comprehensive assessment to determine eligibility and develops a care plan. Care managers use all available community and individual resources, such as friends, neighbors, volunteers and entitlement programs before arranging formal services. Once the client signs off on the care plan, services are arranged and monitored to make independent living possible. Participation in the program is voluntary and services are free; however, voluntary donations are accepted.
If you are 60 years of age or older and require a variety of assistance (such as help with housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, bathing, dressing, eating), and live within the central, east or southwest areas of the Empowerment Zone, you may be eligible.
If you think you qualify, please contact the Detroit Area Agency on Aging at (313) 446-4444. When calling, ask about the Empowerment Zone-sponsored Homebound Elderly Care Management Services. Potentially eligible seniors are screened by phone and later scheduled for an assessment.
Innovative Services Project
Under the Homebound Elderly Care Management Program sponsored by the Detroit Empowerment Zone, DAAA has worked with selected organizations and providers to increase their abilities to compete in the marketplace and provide expanded services to Detroit Empowerment Zone residents and other older adults. The main intent of this project was to increase the agencies' ability for survival in the rapidly changing long-term care industry.
Agencies participating in the Innovative Services Project were provided Empowerment Zone funds to expand home care services for the elderly, train family caregivers and aging professionals as well as educate seniors to become advocates for older adults on the local, state and national level.
Future Programs and Services
Over the course of the next few years, HECM will be working on a long-term service-delivery strategy which will support increased access to services through development of a community-based services resource database and centralized intake, referral and assistance services through the Detroit Area Agency on Aging.