Community Resources N-Z

Post-Acute Care


 

Post-Acute Care

After the Hospital: A Guide to Post-Acute Care

  • MHA’s Continuum of Care Council has created After the Hospital: A Guide to Post-Acute Care to inform patients and their caregivers of their options for care after a major change in a patient’s health.
  • Click here to view and download the guide translated to other languages. 
  • The guide is divided into three sections to: 1) give advice to patients and their families; 2) assist caregivers in understanding the post-acute process and choices; and 3) to provide both patients and caregivers with a wide range of resources.
  • In addition to the guidance provided by MHA’s Continuum of Care Council, the guide benefitted from the direction of many other stakeholders, from patient and family advisory councils and case managers at our members hospitals, to state officials and insurers.

After the Hospital: A Guide to Post-Acute Care

The 64-page After the Hospital: A Guide to Post-Acute Care fulfills a long-standing need to educate the public and members of the healthcare community about the care options available to patients following a medical event or hospitalization.

Post-acute care – provided outside of the traditional hospital setting – may include rehabilitation; physical, speech or occupational therapy; comfort care that focuses on providing relief from pain and other symptoms of a serious illness; home care; or end-of-life care. Puzzling through the various options and choosing the right one has presented difficulties to patients – and often clinicians as well.

The guide cuts through the confusion to provide patients, their families, or the person entrusted with their care a roadmap that will assist them in:

  • understanding their care needs,
  • learning about services that meet their needs,
  • talking to their health insurance company,
  • finding out more about their providers, and
  • making the choice that is right for them.

For providers, After the Hospital: A Guide to Post-Acute Care lays out the elements of a successful post-acute process, the range of available post-acute care services, provider checklists to support care transitions, and a list of key terms and concepts.

The guide is available for download through PatientCareLink, as are accompanying 1-pagers, posters, and postcards.

You can download each section by clicking on the links below:

Respiratory Care

Please note: There is more information on Respiratory Care in the Additional Notes section on this website. This requires a log in to access confidential information.


 

Sleep Resources


Sleep Help Institute

 

 

Stephanie Linder
Community Outreach
Sleep Help Institute
1601 5th Ave, Suite 1100
Seattle, WA 98101
stephanie@sleephelp.org


 

Support Groups

Please note: There is more information on Support Groups in the Additional Notes section on this website. This requires a log in to access confidential information.


 

Transitional Services


Department of Transitional Assistance

DTA – Regional Office
45 Congress Street, Suite 4120
Salem, MA
01970
978-825-7300
Fax: 617-887-8765

DTA can be reached by calling the Assistance Line at 877-382-2363.

You can call this line anytime, 24/7 to determine your current case status and benefits, update your contact information, request Income Verification Letters, and find out the date of your next SNAP re-certification.

From 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., you can call this line to reach a case manager, finish a SNAP interview, speak to someone about domestic violence assistance, or to reach the fraud hotline, EBT hotline, hearings and appeals division, Fraud Investigation and Data Matching unit, overpayments and recovery, cash case worker, or local offices.

Transportation


MassHealth Transportation

MassHealth Transportation (PT-1)

  • Who qualifies for MassHealth Transportation?
    Any MassHealth member within a category that includes transportation-eligible coverage (Standard, CommonHealth, CarePlus, or others) can qualify.
  • If eligible, how would I apply for service?
    Your MassHealth medical provider must complete and sign a Prescription for Transportation (PT-1) form on your behalf. This form can be completed online, faxed, or mailed to the CSC.


  • How long will it take to process my PT-1 form?
    It can take up to three business days for us to process it once we receive it. If you need transportation sooner, your medical provider can contact the CSC at 800-841-2900 (TTY: 1-800-497-4648) for a verbal authorization.

Councils on Aging (COA)

Councils on Aging (COA)

Most local COA offer Volunteer Driver Medical Transportation program to their residents.

Amesbury, Boxford, Georgetown, Haverhill, Groveland, Newburyport, Lawrence, Methuen, Newbury, North Andover, West Newbury, Rowley, Train Station and Market Basket to Haverhill, Georgetown and Newburyport.

https://www.georgetownma.gov/council-aging/pages/coa-transportation-services

Dial-A-Ride

Dial-a-Ride
978-283-7916

CATA’s Dial-a-Ride service is a door-to-door service for persons who are over 60 years of age, and for adults (over 18 years of age) who have a physical, mental or cognitive disability.

Service is available in Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Ipswich and for organized trips outside Cape Ann.

To qualify for CATA’s Dial-a-Ride service, you must complete a “Dial-a-Ride Application Form” by calling 978-283-7916. Persons over 60 must present proof of age. Individuals with disabilities must also complete Parts B and C. Part C must be completed by a health care professional who is familiar with your disability.

Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority

Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority
617-337-2727

A paratransit service for people with disabilities (mental or physical) who are unable to independently use general public transportation.

An origin-to-origin destination, accessible shared ride service for people who are eligible under the Americans with Disabilities act (ADA) guidelines.

Click here for a brochure about THE RIDE Eligibility Center.

Utilities


Citizens Energy Corporation

Citizens Energy Corporation
617-338-6300

Provides energy and fuel assistance to eligible Massachusetts residents, helping them afford basic utilities such as heat and electricity.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance

Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)
(use search term “LIHEAP”)

Known commonly as Fuel Assistance, LIHEAP provides eligible Massachusetts households with help in paying a portion of winter heating bills.

Residents can call their Cold Relief Heatline for help at 800 632-8175.

Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund

Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund
800-334-3047

Provides help to any eligible Massachusetts resident who, because of temporary financial difficulty, cannot meet a month’s energy expense and is not eligible for state or federal energy assistance.

Action, Inc.

Action, Inc.
180 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-282-1000
Fax: 978-283-0523

Offers a number of free programs to help income-eligible households save money and conserve energy.

Programs receive funding from the Department of Energy, National Grid, and other supporters.

North Shore Community Action Programs, Inc.

North Shore Community Action Programs, Inc.
119 Rear Foster Street
Building 13
Peabody, MA 01960
978-531-0767 
Fax: 978-531-1012
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

https://www.nscap.org/

Helps people find the stability they need to rise out of poverty through a range of innovative social services that fall under the following five program areas:

•  Economic Stabilization
•  Education and Training
•  Housing and Homelessness Prevention
•  Energy Services
•  Home Care for Elders

Pets


STAY

STAY
978-865-3518

info@staypetservices.org

Serving the animals you love. In home pet care, dog walking, house guest boarding, bringing your pet to the vet. Not just for seniors. Services can include those for cats, dogs, rabbits, fish, and some farm animals.

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Veterans Care


Veterans Care

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
12 Emerson Rd.
Gloucester, MA  01930
978-281-9740

Provides services and benefits to Veterans and their dependents.

Note: Each town/city has a Veterans Services Department.