Services for the elderly – Mississippi Today

Mississippi is home to nearly 664,000 people ages 60 and older – or 22% of the state’s total population, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health. This section covers the resources available for them and their family members.

The Mississippi Department of Human Services has a county-level database of elderly and aging services. These are services provided through regional planning and development districts, which offer free support, services and resources to seniors and caregivers.

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

SHIP volunteers can help individuals compare policies, organize paperwork and help with claims and filing appeals. They help people do the following:

• Understand Medicare benefits
• Organize doctor and hospital bills
• File Medicare appeals
• Review Medicare supplemental insurance
• Evaluate Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare options
• Understand Medicaid eligibility
• Explore long-term care options

Mississippi Access to Care Network

Legal assistance and advocacy services are available to older adults to help them protect their rights, secure benefits, and promote a higher quality of life.
Services include:

• Referrals for legal assistance for older people who need legal advice, a consultation and/or representation.
• Elder abuse prevention activities and public information programs that focus on issues to help prevent abuse, fraud and exploitation.

Medicaid Elderly & Disabled Waiver

This program through the Division of Medicaid offers home- and community-based services to Mississippians who would otherwise need care in a nursing facility. Beneficiaries must qualify for Medicaid as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries or meet certain income and eligibility requirements, in addition to meeting medical criteria. To apply for the waiver, contact your regional Medicaid office.

Resources for elderly people and their families in long-term care facilities

When searching for a long-term care facility for yourself or your family member, use the federal government’s Care Compare tool to find and compare different types of Medicare providers, including nursing home and rehab services. Nursing homes are rated on a 5-star scale based on the results of their health inspections, staffing levels and other quality measures. If there have been any citations of elder abuse, they are indicated by red flags.

Long-Term Care Ombudsman:

The State Long-Term Care Ombudsman provides services that protect the health, safety, welfare and rights of residents in long-term care facilities. The ombudsman advocates on issues dealing with residents’ rights, personal care concerns, discharge and eviction, and environmental concerns. You can reach their help line at 1-888-844-0041.

Assisted Living Waiver:

This waiver allows qualified people to reside in a type of residence called a Personal Care Home-Assisted Living Facility as licensed by the State Department of Health. They must meet certain income and medical need requirements to qualify.

The state offers some alternatives to long-term care, including the above-mentioned elderly and disabled program through the Division of Medicaid. Other programs are available for people with severe orthopedic and/or neurological impairments; a traumatic brain injury; or spinal cord injury.

Alzheimer’s and dementia resources

Mississippi leads the nation in rates of death from Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys memory, thinking skills and the ability to perform simple tasks. The state also has one of the highest rates of prevalence of the disease.

This means many Mississippians will one day find themselves in the role of caregiver.

The MIND Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, in addition to its research arm, offers a clinic for diagnosis and outpatient treatment for Mississippians with memory loss and dementia. The clinicians include geriatricians, neurologists, nurse practitioners, social workers and care coordinators. Patients from across the state can also see the providers via telehealth.

The MIND Center also offers a Jackson-based caregiver support group – led by a physician or nurse practitioner and a social worker – and individual counseling.

Other helpful resources:

NEXT: Glossary