Programs providing help

---

Home and community-based services are offered at the local level to assist seniors in obtaining access to health care and to provide other necessary services such as transportation, nutrition, in-home care and support allowing them to remain at home. Most people who receive long-term care at home require additional help from family or friends to supplement services from paid providers.  Here are some of the programs available locally.

Statewide education and support services to people with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders and their caregivers as well as providing education and ADRD to the general public, healthcare professionals, professional caregivers, agencies and organizations. 

Website: https://www.alzalaska.org/

Email: Ygonzalez@alzalaska.org
Phone: 907-561-3313, toll-free at 800-478-1080.

Mini grants are available to individuals who experience ADRD. Mini grants can include, but are not limited to, therapeutic devices, access to medial, vision and dental, and special health-care, and other supplies or services that might remove or reduce barriers to an individual’s ability to function in the community and become as self-sufficient as possible. 

Adult day services provide supervised care in an organized program of services during the day in a community group setting for the purpose of supporting an adult’s personal independence and promoting social, physical and emotional well-being. A variety of program activities are offered and are designed to meet individual needs and interests. These services help seniors remain in their communities and offer respite for family caregivers on a planned or scheduled basis. 

In Juneau Services are offered through the Bridge Adult Day Program, part of Catholic Community Services.

Adult Protective Services helps to prevent or stop harm from occurring to vulnerable adults. Harm may result from abandonment, abuse, exploitation, neglect or self-neglect. Vulnerable adults have a physical or mental impairment or condition that prevents them from protecting themselves or from seeking help from someone else. For further information please see the State of Alaska Adult Protective Services.

Assisted Living homes provide 24-hour care for individuals who are not able to live in their own homes. This service provides assistance with activities of daily living and supervision of individuals who require it. Often transportation to outside activities is included by the home. A list of licensed assisted living homes is available at the State of Alaska Division of Public Health website.  

The purpose of care coordination services is to make the community care system work most effectively in order to assure individuals receive assistance responsive to their needs. 

Care coordination is comprised of the assessment of needs, coordination and monitoring of services required by an individual experiencing a short-term medical crisis or requiring long-term chronic care. This assistance helps frail clients and their families find appropriate medical, social, educational, and other services while ensuring coordination of the services, regardless of the funding source for the services. In Alaska, care coordination services are available through various programs and initiatives designed to help individuals access and manage their healthcare needs. These include the Alaska Medicaid Coordinated Care Initiative (AMCCI) and the Personal Care Services (PCS) Program, as well as service coordination offered by specific organizations. Here's a more detailed look at the options:

Alaska Medicaid Coordinated Care Initiative (AMCCI):

• This is a voluntary program offered by the State of Alaska | Department of Health (.gov) (DHCS).
• It provides one-on-one case management to help members access healthcare in the most appropriate setting. 

Personal Care Services (PCS) Program:

• This Medicaid program offers in-home assistance to elderly and disabled residents of Alaska. 

This program identifies, investigates and resolves complaints about long term care services and advocates for seniors. The ombudsman investigates complaints about nursing homes, assisted living homes, and senior housing units as well as concerns about individuals’ care and circumstances. For further information please see the Office of the Long Term Care Ombudsman website.

The Family Caregiver Support Program is administered by the State of Alaska. This program offers support services to non-paid family caregivers of older adults (age 60 years and older; and grandparents and relative caregivers, 55 years and older, of children not more than 18 years of age (including grandparents who are sole caregivers of children and those individuals who are affected by mental retardation or who have developmental disabilities). Services include information, assistance, caregiver counseling, caregiver support groups, caregiver training, respite care, and supplemental services. Family caregiver is defined as an adult family member, or another individual, who is an informal provider of in-home and community care to an older individual. 

The Alaska Pioneers Home Program provides residential care facilities for senior citizens who are 60 years or older and have been residents of Alaska. These homes offer various levels of care, from independent living to skilled nursing, depending on the individual's needs and the home's capacity. There  are long waiting lists for these facilities. 

Respite care service provides temporary relief to non-paid caregivers and family members who are caring for seniors. Services can be provided in or out of the home, in an adult day center, or a licensed assisted living facility. More information can be found with the State of Alaska Aging and Disability Resource Services. 

Alaska Medicaid covers local non-emergency travel to medical appointments for a patient and one escort, if needed.  This service pays for local ground transportation, such as a taxi, bus, or wheelchair van, to travel to and from medical appointments, either in Alaska or out-of-state. Alaska Medicaid will also cover non-emergency travel outside your home community when your provider refers you to a doctor or specialist in another community for services not available in your area. Find out more here. 

Volunteer opportunities benefit seniors by keeping them active and involved, and adding to seniors’ self-esteem and social value as well as providing benefits to the communities they serve. Examples of volunteer programs include Retired Senior Volunteers (RSVP), Senior Companions (SCP), Foster Grandparent/Elder Mentor Program (FG/EM), and other local volunteer opportunities.