Services for Elderly Independence The elderly make up an important part of the population.  Because of their inherent need for independence, they may go without things they need instead of asking for help.  It is up to those around, family members, friends, and neighbors to look out for them.  There are many programs and services designed to help senior citizens maintain their elderly independence.  Sometimes, all a person needs is some guidance in the right direction.  If you are an elderly resident yourself, or if you know of someone who needs assistance, you will find the following programs beneficial.       Hope IV For Elderly Independence One program that works to help the elderly remain independent is the Hope IV program, which provides rental assistance and other support services to help elderly individuals in a very low-income bracket.  The support services enable them to remain in an environment that’s familiar to them instead of going to a nursing home prematurely.  Unfortunately, only housing agencies (PHAs) that were chosen to participate in the original demonstration can benefit from this program. The purpose of this program is to determine ways that HUD can fulfill the growing needs of frail, low-income elderly residents.  Its goal is to combine Section 8 rental assistance with other supportive services.  This way, the program can improve the quality of life of the elderly population and prevent premature nursing home placements. One way that Hope assists the elderly is by providing grants for those members that receive Section 8 rental vouchers.  The program also makes supportive services available to those who qualify based on their income level.  HUD cares for 40 percent of the expenses associated with supportive services, grantees cover 50 percent, and the participant or elderly individual takes care of the other 10 percent.  The only requirement is that this 10 percent does not account for more than 20 percent of the member’s total income.  Many elderly residents have been able to enjoy a level of independence that they would have had to give up otherwise because of programs like Hope IV.  LIFE (Living Independence For The Elderly) LIFE is a managed care program designed to help the frail, elderly who need nursing care, but prefer to stay in their home as long as possible.  The program is nationally known as PACE (the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly).  There are certain criteria that a person must meet to qualify for this program. First, the person must be 55 or older.  He must have a need for nursing facility care in order to qualify.  He must qualify for medical assistance or be in a position to pay himself.  In addition, the person wishing to participate in this program must live in an area served by a LIFE provider. Under the LIFE program, a member would receive primary medical care, various types of therapy, pharmaceuticals, monitoring, and meals.  Other benefits are transportation, emergency care, as well as eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures.  Specialists, in-patient, and outpatient hospital care are provided. Under this program, home care is provided only as needed.  If there are any home issues, they are addressed to make sure that the member lives in a secure, safe home environment.  If the member reaches a point where he can no longer be cared for in the community, he is placed in a nursing home.  All measures are taken to ensure that the elderly participant remains independent as long as possible. Services For Low-Vision Citizens Home health agencies make it possible for many senior citizens to retain their elderly independence, including those that have poor vision.  The agency assigns a certified nurse assistant to those members who don’t have a specific medical need.  The nurse assistants can help the elderly with many of their routine activities.  These activities, although routine, may be challenging for the elderly person due to poor vision.  The assistant may help the elderly organize medications; they can help with transportation to and from doctor’s appointments, as well as to the supermarket.  In addition, many major cities provide inexpensive or free transportation for the elderly who are vision impaired.  Even some local taxi companies offer this kind of service, which is more convenient since the elderly person is taken directly to his destination instead of to a bus stop.  You may find that there are also small organizations in your city that offer free transportation services to the elderly, thus helping them maintain their elderly independence.  Moreover, some religious organizations make drivers and vehicles available to elderly members with poor vision.           In summary, it is possible for an elderly individual to remain independent and enjoy quality of life.  Many times, all a person needs is help with some daily activities such as taking medications, getting to appointments, or cooking meals.  The help is out there; and with a bit of research, you can find the help you need for yourself or your loved one.