The Hillmans : PASSPORT Client Profile
By the time Walter Hillman went looking for help, he was floundering. He had retired early to take care of Maxine, his wife of 15 years. She was becoming
increasingly disabled as a result of asthma, diabetes and a degenerative bone disease. They had relocated to Hamilton from New Orleans after Hurricane
Katrina and their financial situation was perilous.
Mr. Hillman’s search led him to Council on Aging and PASSPORT. The program provides homemaking help and personal care three days a week, plus a Lifeline and medical equipment, such as lift chair and walker.
“I didn’t want to ask for help, but we had reached the point where old granddaddy pride had to go,” said Mr. Hillman, 68. “We were drowning and Council on Aging pulled us out of the water.”
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How does PASSPORT help?
PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options and Resources
Today) provides families an attractive alternative
to traditional nursing home
placement. By providing essential in-home services, PASSPORT
can curb the
skyrocketing costs of nursing home care in Ohio. This long-term
care program is
funded by the Ohio Department of Aging and the Ohio Department
of Job and Family Services. Council on Aging is the PASSPORT program administrator responsible for
participant assessment, case management and contract management
with service
providers in Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren
counties.
In 2007, more than 3,000 older adults in southwestern Ohio received care in their home - instead of a nursing home - through PASSPORT. This is a 3 percent
increase over 2006. About 27,500 Ohioans receive PASSPORT services every day, (nearly 34,000 annually), a six-fold increase in 15 years. As a result, more Ohioans are
receiving care in lower cost, independent settings.
The typical PASSPORT client is a woman in her late 70s, living alone, in poverty and needing help with basic
activities such as bathing and meals.
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What services are available?
PASSPORT provides services such as home-delivered
meals, personal care, home medical
equipment and transportation to doctor’s appointments, to name a few.
PASSPORT clients also have a care manager who advocates for their clients' needs, answers questions from clients and family members, and makes sure clients receive the right services. Care managers have their clients' best interests at heart. (More information)
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Who qualifies for PASSPORT?
PASSPORT may be for you if you are:
- Age 60 or older
- Eligible for Medicaid (low-income)
- In need of skilled or intermediate care: hands on
help with dressing, bathing, toileting,
grooming, eating or mobility.
(More information)
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What does PASSPORT cost?
Your care is free of charge, or set at an affordable
level depending upon your income and assets.
PASSPORT is provided by the state of Ohio through
Council on Aging.
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How is PASSPORT different from the Elderly Services Program (ESP)?
To qualify for PASSPORT, clients must be low income (Medicaid eligible) and severely disabled. Council on Aging works with area Departments of Job and Family Services to determine Medicaid eligibility.
Most people do not qualify for Medicaid, but still cannot afford to pay privately for in-home care. Friends and family may provide some help, but it’s often not enough. This is where the Elderly Services Program steps in. ESP is a taxpayer supported program, that for many, may be their last option before nursing home placement. ESP clients can have a higher income level (some ESP clients have a co-payment) and a less-severe level of disability than PASSPORT clients. Because ESP is supported by county tax dollars, it is reserved for those who have no other options; it is the payer of last resort. In other words, ESP clients may not be eligible for services through another source such as Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance.
Other than differences in income and disability qualifications, PASSPORT and ESP offer many of the same in-home care services, including housekeeping, personal care, medical transportation and home-delivered meals.
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For more information, call:
(513) 721-1025 or (800) 252-0155
Download and print fact sheets:
PASSPORT
Program enrollment and waiting lists
Council on Aging Annual Reports
Ohio Department of Aging PASSPORT Information
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