Town Partners With County To Expand Senior Services

EAST HAMPTON, NY — East Hampton Town seniors will now be able to access expanded in-home services.

The expanded in-home services for the elderly program, or EISEP, provided by East Hampton’s Department of Human Services will now include the addition of experienced caseworkers provided by the Suffolk County Office for the Aging, a release said.

The EISEP program provides non-medical in-home services and case management that supports and supplements informal care provided by clients' families, the town said.

EISEP assists older adults, aged 60+, who want to remain at home and need assistance with independent activities of daily living.

An essential part of the EISEP program is case management now being provided by Suffolk County Office for the Aging, the release said.

"Suffolk County Office for the Aging possesses a staff of highly skilled caseworkers and it is very beneficial that East Hampton Town seniors will now be served by such experts in their field," the release said. "The county caseworkers will be providing the most up-to-date information to East Hampton seniors."

For example, caseworkers will develop service plans with clients and their support systems where the primary objective is to provide guidance to enable each senior to live in a safe environment; the service is designed to assist seniors in accessing services which are suitable to meet individual needs, such as housekeeping, the release said.

"East Hampton Town is proud of the highly skilled full-time, town-employed homemakers who provide these services to seniors in our community and have done so for over 37 years," the release said.

Services provided include making and changing beds, dusting and vacuuming the rooms the client uses, light cleaning of kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, dishwashing, a client’s laundering if no family member is available or able, meal preparation, essential errands and shopping for the client if no other arrangements are possible.

However, town official said, EISEP is not an entitlement program and does not serve all older individuals in need; the program operates under a fixed, capped budget and uses a sliding fee scale based on income to determine customer cost sharing requirements. Although EISEP is targeted to low income older adults, seniors who are financially able may receive needed services, provided they pay for the services, the town said. The amount a senior would pay depends on his or her income. For individuals who are unable to pay for the full cost of their care, EISEP funds cover part or all of the costs of needed services.

The program has eligibility requirements and a waiting list. Those interested should contact Suffolk County Office for the Aging at 631-853-8200. The expanded in-home service for the elderly program is funded by the Town of East Hampton, the Administration for Community Living through New York State Office for the Aging and Suffolk County Office for the Aging.