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My friend has been taking care of her ill mother for 14+ yrs. She lives in Florida. Her mother is getting worse and she worries about leaving her home all day by herself while she works. I mentioned that possibly she could get financial assistance so she could stay home with her mom. I know every state is different.

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You're right. Every state is different. First I would talk to primary care dr and their social worker in their office to explain what's going in and set up some support at home, that might be in home assistance, senior companion, adult daycare services, meals on wheels. If that doesn't work, visit your local senior center and speak with one of their staff nurses or social worker and find out some options for caring for mom or if mom is pretty good, she could be bused to senior center and participate in activities for the day provided she is able to manage on her own yet.
Lastly, you can set up a legal employment agreement to care for mom full time. Consult with an attorney (more info available in this site under LEGAL tab upper right. Be sure to include wages, responsibilities, expenses, paid vacation, 401k or retirement contribution and healthcare...you would have these with a job so as a caregiver, you should get same and not shortchange yourself. Don't expect to get "it in the end from estate". Not always anything left in the end because mom could have to enter hospital or care facility at some point anyway and her money will get eaten up fast.
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Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care Program
Description:

In 2011, the Florida Legislature created a new program called the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) program. Because of this program, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and Department of Elder Affairs changed how some individuals receive their long-term care from the Florida Medicaid Program.
There are two different programs that make up the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care:

The Long-Term Care (LTC) Managed Care Program
The Managed Medical Assistance (MMA) Program

Medicaid recipients who qualify and become enrolled in SMMC LTC will receive long-term care services from a long-term care managed care plan.
Services or Activities:

Each managed care plan contracted with AHCA to provide long-term care services must, at a minimum, provide the following services:

•Adult Companion
•Adult Day Care (Adult Day Health Care)
•Assistive Care Services
•Assisted Living Facility Services
•Attendant Care
•Behavior Management
•Caregiver Training
•Case Management
•Home Accessibility Adaptation
•Home Delivered Meals
•Homemaker
•Hospice
•Intermittent and Skilled Nursing


•Medical Equipment & Supplies
•Medication Administration
•Medication Management
•Nursing Facility Care
•Nutritional Assessment and Risk Reduction
•Occupational Therapy
•Personal Care
•Personal Emergency Response System
•Physical Therapy
•Respiratory Therapy
•Respite Care
•Speech Therapy
•Transportation

All of these services are available based on medical necessity, or they must be necessary in order to delay or prevent nursing facility placement.
Program Eligibility:

Individuals that meet the following criteria are eligible to receive services under SMMC LTC:

Age 65 and over and eligible for Medicaid
Age 18 and over and eligible for Medicaid by reason of a disability
Be determined by the Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES) unit at the Department of Elder Affairs to be at nursing home level of care and meet one or more established clinical criteria.

Independent Consumer Support Program:

The Independent Consumer Support Program (ICSP), is a coordinated effort by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs' Bureau of Long-Term Care & Support (LTCS), working in collaboration with the statewide Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP), the local Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs), and AHCA. Florida's ICSP operates using the staff of LTCS, local ADRCs, and the LTCOP to ensure that SMMC LTC consumers have multiple access points for information, complaints, grievances, appeals, or questions. Additionally, this three-pronged approach allows consumers a "no wrong door" access to the ICSP complaint resolution process, in addition to targeting the specific group who can best address a specific complaint, grievance, or question.
Additional SMMC LTC Information:

For additional SMMC LTC information, including a program overview and summary, please visit AHCA’s website at http://ahca.myflorida.com/SMMC .

For information regarding the LTC plans available in each region and how to choose an LTC plan, please visit the Choice Counseling website at www.flmedicaidmanagedcare.com.

For more information regarding the SMMC LTC waitlist, please contact your local Aging and Disability Resource Center. Click here for the direct contact information of the ADRC in your region. You can also call the statewide Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER for immediate assistance.

For assistance in addressing a complaint with your LTC plan, please visit AHCA’s website at http://ahca.myflorida.com/SMMC and click on the “Report a Complaint” button.
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Thanks for additional info. My friend would never put her mom in a home. She would do anything for her mother. That is why she would rather be able to stay home and do it. It would break her heart and the guilt would kill her if she could not take care of her mom herself. Thanks to you, with the information you have given us, I hope she can make that happen.
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What Programs Are Available To Assist People With Disabilities in Florida?
http://medicaidwaiver.org/state/florida.html
Is there a Medicaid waiver program in Florida?
Florida has several waivers including:

Project AIDS Care;
Assisted Living for the Elderly;
Alzheimer's Disease Program;
Channeling for the Frail Elderly;
Aged and Disabled Adult;
iBudget Florida;
DD Individual Budgeting;
Familial Dysautonomia Waiver;
Model Waiver;
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