The Talbot County Senior Care Program is funded by the Maryland Department of Aging and supplemented with county funding.  It is administered by the Talbot County Health Department in partnership with Upper Shore Aging and the Department of Human Resources.

The Senior Care program provides case management and funds for services for people 65 or older who may be at risk of nursing home placement. Senior Care allows seniors to live with dignity and in the comfort of their own homes and at a lower cost than nursing facility care. Senior Care provides a comprehensive assessment of an   individual's needs, a case manager to secure and coordinate services, and a pool of gap filling funds to purchase services for individuals who meet program eligibility requirements. Services may include personal care, chore service, medications, medical supplies, adult day care, respite care, home delivered meals, transportation, and emergency response systems. 

The Senior Care System of Coordinated Services (SCSCS) is provided through the local aging, health and social services agencies. These services consist of screening, assessment, case management, and gap filling services. Case management is provided both in-kind and paid for with Senior Care funds.

When older persons are referred for help, they are screened to determine if they may be eligible for Senior Care and other services. Screens may be performed by all participating agencies and include information about an individual’s age, income, assets and functional abilities. If the individual appears eligible for Senior Care, a referral is made for a full evaluation of need.

These assessments are the evaluation of need and are conducted by Talbot County Health Department licensed registered nurses and social workers.  Upon completion of the assessment, a plan of care is developed that outlines services that the client is currently receiving and those that are still needed. This plan of care and the assessment information is forwarded to a case manager, who meets with the client to determine the services that the client will receive. This service plan is based on the client’s wishes as well as the availability of services and funds. Reassessments for eligibility and need are completed every six months.

Each Senior Care client is assigned a case manager.  The case manager is responsible for implementing the care plan. This entails seeking out and ordering services, assisting the client or the client’s family to apply for other services, client advocacy, and overseeing services that are provided.

Senior Care Services for access and eligibility, contact the Talbot County Health Department at 410-819-5640 Senior Assistance Programs contact your local Maryland Assistance Program (MAP) staff at 410-778-6000 Maryland Department of Aging website: http://www.aging.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx 

Updated 2/16/2018