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.

How EISEP Works

• The EISEP program director reviews case records and screens all applicants for eligibility.
  Cases are prioritized according to level of need and assigned to a trained case manager.
• The case manager visits a new client, conducts an assessment, and sets up a plan to coordinate
  in-home, community, and private services to meet the client's needs. Individuals with unmet personal care needs are the first to receive care.
• The Project Director reviews the case manager's proposed care plan, modifies it as needed, and coordinates the delivery of service with a home care subcontractor.

Funding

• 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 are asked 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 – The EISEP Program has contracts with several local not-for-profit agencies for case management services. Case managers from these agencies conduct comprehensive in-person assessments that identify the client's level of impairment, their unmet needs and their financial status. In-home, community and private services are then arranged in order to meet the individual needs of each client. A financial assessment is done to gather information about the client's monthly income, resources and housing expenses, and is used to determine individual "cost-share" levels. Upon the client's agreement to accept the planned services, the case manager acts as an advocate for that individual. Through ongoing contact with the client and caregivers, and with regular in-home reassessments, the case manager is able to determine client satisfaction and the appropriateness of services provided. 
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• In-Home Services (Consumer Directed) – 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
  
  
• Respite Services/Social Adult Day- The EISEP Program provides social day program service one day per week, or four hours per week of in-home aide service, to program participants who have a full-time informal caregiver. This allows caregivers "time off" to catch up with shopping, household tasks, appointments, and rest. Through contracts with Silver Fox, The Centers at St. Camillus and Nascentia Health, EISEP provides social day program service for clients with dementia and/or Alzheimer's Disease. This allows full-time caregivers who need "time off" to catch up with shopping, household tasks, appointments, and rest.
  
  
• 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 our EISEP participants. Here are a few quotes from the most recent one:

“I was given the chance to have a much better quality of life, after my stroke, thanks to the EISEP program. A special thanks to the staff. They show compassion and understanding as they help make my life a bit easier.”

 

“I could not live independently without the incredible care I receive from EISEP.”

 

“My care is excellent. I trust and depend on EISEP. I could not live alone without their help.”