Health Officer Dr. Fahmi Fahmi and Senior Services Director Carrie Ottey recently briefed the Talbot County Council on the county’s Senior Care Program. Senior Care is a statewide grant program funded through the Maryland Department of Aging and administered locally by the Talbot County Health Department in partnership with Upper Shore Aging, Talbot County Department of Social Services, and Talbot County Government. Talbot is one of only two counties in Maryland where the local health department directly administers Senior Care through its Assessment, Evaluation, and Review Services (AERS) program.
The program serves Talbot County residents age 65 and older who have moderate or severe functional disabilities and meet financial eligibility guidelines. Senior Care provides four core services:
- Screening for eligibility for all available supportive programs
- A comprehensive assessment of individual needs
- Ongoing case management to secure and coordinate services
- “Gap‑filling” funds to pay for essential services when no other funding source is available
“The goal [of these services] is to help seniors remain as safely possible in the community for as long as possible,” Ottey told the Council. AERS nurses and social workers conduct the required assessments, develop care plans, and also serve as Senior Care case managers, allowing eligibility determination, enrollment, and services to begin as early as the day of assessment.
For more information about Senior Care and other services for older adults in Talbot County, residents can contact the Talbot County Health Department’s Senior Services team at 410-819-5600 or visit talbothealth.org. Click here to view the slides from the presentation. Click here to view video from the County Council presentation.