SENIOR INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE
Senior Information and Assistance is a statewide program that provides information and referral services over the phone and in the office. Information specialists link the caller/visitor to organizations that provide service to older persons, send printed material about services and/or assist in completing applications for benefits and services.
Call the Senior Information and Assistance Office in your county for information about services that are available. If your loved one lives outside Maryland, check the Eldercare Locator to locate resources. To see what financial benefits you may be eligible for go to Benefits Checkup.org.
NURSING HOME RATING SYSTEM
Medicare offers a new (December 2008) rating system for nursing homes to help consumers, their families, and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily and help identify areas about which you may want to ask questions. This rating system is based on continued efforts as a result of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA '87), a nursing home reform law, and more recent quality improvement campaigns such as the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes, a coalition of consumers, health care providers, and nursing home professionals. The Five Star rating system can be accessed through www.medicare.gov/nhcompare.
TIPS AND TERMS
Read the Top Tips for Nursing Home Placement from the Baltimore County Commission on Aging.
Use the glossary to learn important terms.
NURSING HOMES
Nursing homes, or long term care facilities, provide services for
individuals who need nursing care on a regular basis but do not need
to be hospitalized. Facilities are regulated by state and local boards
of health. Many nursing care facilities offer respite care, rehabilitation
and other services of short duration.
Baltimore County Department of Aging maintains a list of nursing homes in Baltimore County.