ARChoices combines the ElderChoices and Alternatives for Adults with Physical Disabilities programs into one program that offers both the elderly and individuals with disabilities options for in-home care in Arkansas.
Elder care services previously offered through ElderChoices will continue under the new Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) program called ARChoices. In addition to offering elder care services for individuals 65 and older, ARChoices also offers personal care services to people with physical disabilities who are 21 and older. These elder care and personal care services are available to Arkansas residents who need a significant level of care but who wish to remain at home instead of in a nursing home or institutional setting. These services are designed to help support independent living and make it easier for the elderly and adults with disabilities to perform daily activities and avoid institutionalized care.
ARChoices Continues ElderChoices Services
The most obvious difference between ElderChoices and ARChoices is that ARChoices provides home and community-based services to individuals with disabilities as well as the elderly. These personal care services allow participants in the ARChoices program to remain at home or in a community or family setting so they may live as independently as possible. In a questionnaire for the Arkansas Legislative Council and Joint Interim Committee, the DHS said that the merging ElderChoices into ARChoices will “improve administrative efficiencies and provide a consistent set of services across the individual’s span of care.”
What Elder Care Services Are Offered?
Adopted in 1991, ElderChoices is a Medicaid program designed to help older adults remain, and be cared for, in their own homes. Individuals who qualify for this elder care service need some of the equivalent services provided in a nursing home environment. ARChoices provides these services in a home setting, offering the same range elderly care services:
- Attendant Services: Assistance with daily activities so seniors maintain a comfortable and clean residence, from laundry to meal preparation.
- Meal Services: A home delivery program that provides a fully prepared, ready-to-eat meal each day for seniors who live alone.
- Electronic Alarm Assistance: A 24-hour personal alarm that allows a senior to summon emergency help when needed.
- Senior Day Care: An opportunity for socialization, interaction, and activities in a group setting on a regular basis.
- Respite Care: Relief for busy caregivers, respite care offers full-time caregivers a chance for a break and can be provided in home or in another setting.
- Heavy Chore Work: Offered when heavy cleaning or maintenance is required to make a home habitable.
- Environmental Modifications: Changes to the existing home that allow people with disabilities to move about and perform daily tasks independently.
Are You or Your Loved One Eligible?
ARChoices provides a comprehensive statewide listing of home and community-based services offered in Arkansas for older adults and individuals with disabilities. You can apply online to see if you or your loved are eligible for the long-term support services offered through the ARChoices program. If you have a loved one with have a physical disability that makes it difficult to live on their own, ARChoices can help you find the services they need to remain in their own home.
If you have a loved one in need of elder care services in Little Rock, contact Integrity, Inc. at 501-406-0442. We can help you determine the right care plan to meet your loved one’s needs.
