Learning the policies and procedures in an assisted living community or nursing home can take a lot of time and effort, but the effort is well worth it. It is important to talk to care team members as soon as possible to get information about these key topics:
- Contact information for the staff person you should call if there is a problem.
- Policies and procedures for managing money from individuals or families:
- This includes managing the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) for individuals living in a nursing home and receiving Medicaid; and
- Learn more about the PNA generally at: https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/personal-needs-allowance/ and the Texas PNA at https://www.hhs.texas.gov/handbooks/medicaidelderly-people-disabilities-handbook/h-1500-personal-needs-allowance.
- Policies about reporting and responding to theft and financial abuse:
- Texas law requires individuals to report suspicions of elder abuse or neglect, including exploitation of the senior’s resources. If the victim is in a nursing home or assisted living facility, or is in his or her home and relies on a home health provider, call the Texas Health and Human Services Commission at 1-800-458-9858. If the victim is a resident of a long-term care facility that receives Medicaid funding, report the criminal abuse, neglect or exploitation to the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at 1-800-252-8011. Abuse of a senior who is not in a healthcare facility can be reported to Adult Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400.
- Policies about phone calls from salespeople, including the Do Not Call Registry: https://www.donotcall.gov/.
- How care team members help protect your loved one’s checkbooks, ATM cards, and federal benefit debit cards.
- How care team members help protect online accounts and other “virtual valuables,” such as financial documents saved on a computer or other device.
Federal and state programs that may affect your loved one, including:
- Texas Aging Programs
- Texas SNAP program
- Medicare and its limitations
- Social Security
- Medicaid
- Texas Health and Human Services’ resource entitled “Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities Handbook”