Nightingale Receives Approval for TN Medicaid Waiver Services

Nightingale is now an approved statewide provider for Personal Emergency Response Systems under Tennessee's Medicaid Waiver Program. Medicaid Waiver Services also include a variety of other programs that help individuals to work, play, and live in their community.

Services provided by the Waiver Program include:

Supported Living: A person receives assistance within his or her own home. He or she has control of the home, but a staff member helps with everyday chores including bathing, paying bills, or going to the store.
Residential Habilitation: Staff members teach daily living skills to people living within a group home setting.
Family Based Living: A group of people who are not relatives live together in a family setting.
Community Participation: Activities that help people become a part of their community and reach their life goals.
Supported Employment: Services to help people find and keep work.
Day Habilitation: A day service that helps people with social skills and daily living.
Respite: 24-hour care within the home to allow family members to take a break or to handle of emergencies.
Personal Assistance: Staff member assist within the home for a few hours a day. Help can include activities such as bathing, cooking, cleaning, running errands, etc.
Transportation: Transportation to and from waiver services.
Behavior Support: Service that helps people with behavior problems learn how to express themselves in order to live better within the community.
Family Education: Teaches families how to give support and help their loved ones.
Specialized Equipment, Supplies, Assistive Technology: The purchase of items needed for a person's disability that is not already covered by insurance or other programs.
PERS (Personal Emergency Response Systems): A method for individuals to call for help in an emergency, such as a fall, when they are unable to reach the telephone.

Nightingale Services can now provide our Emergency Response System to Tennessee residents who qualify under the waiver program. Our in-home, electronically supported system is simple. The patient wears a small wireless pendant around his neck. (Pendants are also available on a wristband or a belt clip.) In a crisis situation, the patient presses the button on the necklace. The Response System control box that is located near the telephone quickly calls and notifies one of our live monitors. The monitor then returns a call to the patient and contacts the appropriate parties. If our Monitoring Center professional cannot get an answer from the patient, then he or she summons help, which ranges from a personal friend or relative to an ambulance service.

Nightingale’s Emergency Response Unit (Necklace pendant not pictured)

We soon will be a statewide provider for Personal Emergency Response Systems under funding from the Options For Community Living And The National Family Caregivers Support Program. You can find more information about this program at http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/caregiver.asp

Other services that are available under the Medicaid Waiver Program include:
Nursing
Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Speech, Hearing & Language
services
(some) Dental services
Nutrition services