Program Description
The Washington Tailored Support for Older Adults (TSOA) is a program for seniors who are at risk of requiring Medicaid for long-term care services (for example, nursing home care). This program’s goal is to prevent nursing home placement by helping seniors to continue living in their homes or the home of a family member.
A variety of long-term care services and benefits are available that help promote independence for seniors who live alone, as well as services to assist unpaid family caregivers in caring for their loved ones. These benefits may include adult day care, respite care, durable medical equipment, housekeeping assistance, and more.
The TSOA program is under the broader, and more formal title, Medicaid Transformation Project Demonstration, and may be informally referred to as a family caregiver support program. However, this program is for seniors who are financially ineligible for Medicaid. That said, there is another program under the Medicaid Transformation Project Demonstration, the Medicaid Alternative Care (MAC) Program, which is a Medicaid program, and it offers nearly identical services and benefits as TSOA.
Eligibility Guidelines
General Requirements
Age
As the Tailored Support for Older Adults program provides assistance for both Washington resident caregivers and seniors without caregivers, there are age requirements for both caregivers and care recipients. The care recipient must be at least 55 years of age, and the caregiver must be at least 18 years of age.
Functional Need
The care recipient must require assistance with some Activities of Daily Living, abbreviated as ADLs, which include tasks such as bathing, dressing / undressing, transferring, walking, etc. In addition, their care needs must be equivalent to that which is provided in a nursing home facility. However, care recipients must live in a home setting, such as their own home or the home of a family member or friend.
Financial Requirements
Income Limits
As of 2023, the income limit is set at 300% of the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR). This figure equals $2,742 a month for a single individual. If an applicant is married, the income of the spouse is not considered.
Asset Limits
The asset limit for a single individual is $53,100. For married couples when both spouses are applying, the asset limit is $106,200. When only one spouse is applying, the non-applicant spouse can have $59,890 in assets. Some assets are not counted toward this limit and include one’s home, regardless of equity value, home furnishings, a vehicle, and burial funds up to $1,500 for the applicant and $1,500 for their spouse.
Over the Financial Limits?
Married individuals and persons with finances over these limits should consider finding Medicaid planning assistance. Persons in these situations still may be eligible for Medicaid, but just require financial expertise to help them allocate their resources appropriately. Learn more.
It is vital that persons do not give away assets or sell them for less than fair market value within 60 months of one’s Medicaid application date. This is because doing so is a violation of the Medicaid look-back period and can result in Medicaid denial.
Benefits and Services
The Tailored Support for Older Adults program provides up to $743 a month in assistance, as of 2023, and may include the following benefits and services:
- Adult Day Care or Adult Day Health
- Caregiver Training and Education (including Alzheimer’s / dementia related)
- Counseling / Support Groups
- Home Modifications, such as the addition of grab bars or wheelchair ramps
- Housekeeping / Errands / Yardwork
- Information Regarding Caregiving
- Meal Delivery
- Personal Emergency Response Systems
- Respite Care
- Specialized Medical Equipment / Supplies
- Therapies (massage and acupuncture)
- Transportation – for delivery of services
Via TSOA, personal care assistance and nurse delegation, such as medication administration and testing of blood glucose levels, is available for seniors who do not have an unpaid caregiver.
How to Apply / Learn More
Additional information about the Tailored Supports for Older Adults program can be found on Washington’s Department of Social Health Services’ website and on the Community Living Connections website. To apply for TSOA, one should contact their local Community Living Connections office. Contact information by county can be found here, or one can call 855-567-0252.