The Good Life - Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults

(This is the fourth in a series of articles from the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency about supportive services for local seniors to appear in The Good Life.)

Do you know someone aged 65 or older who needs help at home?

The Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) is a resource in Tulare and Kings Counties that provides social and health care management services to help older adults remain in their homes and communities.

To be eligible for MSSP, individuals must be 65 years of age or older, be eligible for Medi-Cal, and be certified for placement in a skilled nursing facility.

MSSP helps prevent or delay more expensive, long-term nursing home care and helps seniors live safely and as independently as possible in their own homes.

MSSP care managers can coordinate to provide a variety of services, including:

• Care Management

• Caregiver Support/Respite Care

• Chore and Personal Care Assistance

• Communication Services, i.e., a phone, emergency response devices, translation or interpretation

• Home-Delivered Meals

• Minor Home Repairs and Safety Modifications

• Personal Care Products

• Social Reassurance/Therapeutic Counseling

MSSP is a valuable resource and has supportive staff to help seniors. The staff takes pride in what they do.

MSSP Registered Nurse Barbara Pitcock and Care Manager Rachel Preciado shared that, “Being able to help participants against all odds and provide accessibility to their communities is rewarding.”

An example of the positive impact MSSP has on participants is best described by Wilma White, a 76-year-old who has been with the MSSP program for nine years, and was recently asked, “How has the MSSP program helped you stay independent at home?”

She responded, “I have nothing but good to say. They are absolutely amazing.” Wilma went on to say, “If I need something, Barbara is right on it; she even got me an electric wheelchair, a chair to get into bed, and personal items.”

Are you, or is someone you know, in need of in-home services? If you are interested in learning more about the program, call your local MSSP office at (559) 623-0194 or 1-800-434-0222.

You can also visit the Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging website at http://www.ktaaa.org , or call Dori Silveria, MSSP Unit Manager, at (559) 713-2875.