Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program -EISEP

The Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program helps seniors who are not Medicaid eligible and their families delay or avert costly and premature placement in nursing facilities. This is done by combining case management services and non-medical supportive services. New York State established the program in 1987 to assist frail seniors who may have chronic physical and/or mental impairments.

Eligibility and Program Requirements

To be eligible for EISEP services, the individual must be:

• 60 years old or older
• Functionally impaired in at least 1 activity of daily living such as bathing and dressing or 2 activities of daily living such as housekeeping, laundry, shopping, driving, and meal preparation
• Not eligible for Medicaid
• Able to be maintained safely at home

EISEP participants are required to:

• Engage initial assessment with Case Manager that includes financial assessment and comprehensive health and social history
• Maintain communication with Case Manager by phone every 2 months
• Meet with Case Manager annually for Reassessment home visit

Cost Sharing

• EISEP participants are required to pay a percentage of their service costs.
• Rate of payment is based on a sliding scale.
• For those whose income falls below the established cost-share threshold, they will not be required to pay for services but have opportunity to contribute if they are able.
• Currently, approximately 40% of EISEP clients have incomes that fall below the established cost-share threshold.

Services

• Case Management – Case managers conduct comprehensive in-person assessments to identify the client's level of impairment, unmet needs and financial status. A financial assessment is required to determine the client's cost share level and prescreen for Medicaid eligibility. Those who appear eligible for Medicaid are not eligible for EISEP.
  
  Services are then arranged to meet the individual needs of the client. Through ongoing contact, the Case Manager partners with the client and caregivers to monitor client satisfaction with services delivered and address any other unmet needs that arise.

• In-Home Services (Traditional) - Staff from local licensed home care agencies provide in-home services. The following services are provided through EISEP: Personal Care (PC) - Hands-on assistance with bathing, dressing and toileting. Light Housekeeping (HSK) - Cleaning of the bathroom/kitchen, removing garbage and doing personal laundry.

• Consumer-Directed In-Home Services – This option allows EISEP clients to hire a personal attendant of their choosing. A person must qualify for EISEP in order to be eligible for this service. Although a cost share applies, many consumers find that this helps them remain independent in their own homes, while honoring their preferences.
  Download the Consumer Directed In-Home Brochure

• Social Day Program - EISEP contracts with The Salvation Army Social Day Program and Silver Fox Adult Day Centers. These programs are designed to meet the individual’s social, cognitive, and personal care needs.  By engaging in a variety of recreational and social activities, participants stay active physically and cognitively.

• Ancillary Services -The EISEP Program utilizes the Onondaga County Emergency Response System contractor (Response4HELP) to provide at-risk clients with an added measure of safety. Emergency response systems are available for clients who live alone and have been identified as "at-risk" of falling.

In order to maintain the highest level of service, the Office for Aging mails periodic evaluations to EISEP participants. Here are a few quotes from the most recent one:

" I feel we have an advocate and extremely informative support system thanks to our Case Manager."

 

" My mom would be in a memory care unit if not for the social day program."

 

" My parent’s wish is to age at home.  EISEP services are helping to make this possible."