A nurse, Mr. Lee, is preparing to discharge a resident, Ms. Gomez, who has completed
a short-term stay in the facility for rehabilitation following a stroke. Ms. Gomez is not
eligible to stay on as a long-term resident but is apprehensive to return to living at her
home alone. Although her health is generally good and her mind sharp, deficits from
the stroke make it difficult for her to drive and prepare meals. She also dreads being
isolated socially.
• What local or state agencies or programs might Mr. Lee refer Ms. Gomez to for
assistance with transportation, meals, and social needs?
Many elderly people are faced with these types of issues every day. There are many types of
public assistances that could help Ms. Gomez and ease her transition back into her home. If I was
Mr. Lee I would start by speaking to the Ms. Gomez family members about her concerns. Next
because every state offers different programs, I would contact the local department of social
services to see about any state funded programs for Ms. Gomez’s needs. Mr. Lee and his staff
could help Ms. Gomez with a home health care agency. A home health care aide would come
into Ms. Gomez home daily for a certain amount of hours to help her prepare her meals for the
day. The home health care aide would also provide a friend for Ms. Gomez to socialize with on a
daily basis. The home health care aide could do a number of other things to help Ms. Gomez,
such as, help her with getting dressed, take her on outing, and helping her with her medications.
Also, her home care aide could take her to doctor’s appointments and to do other social events. If
Ms. Gomez did not qualify for a home health care agency’s assistance, there are other programs
designed to provide meals to the elderly such as Meals on Wheels and the Senior Nutrition
Programs. There are also many programs for the elderly to have social activities. Programs such
as Senior Day Cares are great. They provide a wide variety of activities for seniors to participate