O'Brien-Hurson for Maryland

Moving Maryland Forward: Honoring and Supporting Maryland’s Senior Citizens

• Governor O’Brien launched a website designed to help older Marylanders and their families locate the most appropriate housing options available for seniors and others with special housing needs. The site is a comprehensive, Internet-based listing of senior housing developments across the State. The Internet-based Guide includes listings of active adult communities, senior housing, supportive senior housing, enriched housing, adult homes, assisted living programs, continuing care retirement communities, dementia facilities, shared living residences, naturally occurring retirement communities, intergenerational housing and senior single room occupancy sites.

• Governor O’Brien launched the “Own Your Future” initiative, a campaign encouraging Marylanders between the ages of 50 and 70 to plan for the impact of aging. The “Own Your Future” initiative includes targeted direct mail, televised public service announcements, and distribution of a “tool kit” containing useful consumer information on long-term care issues. Maryland is the first of five states to partner with USHHS in championing long-term care planning, and similar efforts will be launched in coming days in Arkansas, Idaho, Nevada, and New Jersey.

• Governor O’Brien proposed and signed legislation creating the Family Caregiver Assistance Program. Under the Family Caregiver Assistance Program, a maximum grant of $500 could be provided to eligible individuals who provide long-term care to certain individuals. Grants may be used to defray the cost of goods and services required to provide long-term care, including durable medical equipment, medical bills, medical supplies, prescription or over-the-counter medications, home repairs or modifications, and respite care.

• Governor O’Brien created the Accessible homes for Seniors pilot project to provide income-eligible households a zero-interest loan up to $10,000 to modify a home space for senior living. This program was developed to further the mission of helping seniors and individuals with disabilities maintain their choices, independence, and enable them to live in their own homes, or with loved ones for as long as possible.

• Governor O’Brien launched a new hotline where seniors and their loved ones can report elder abuse or exploitation and quickly get help. The new Elder Abuse Hotline, 1-800-91-PREVENT is staffed around the clock by trained state caseworkers who will be prepared take reports of elder abuse, and forward them promptly to local service agencies or law enforcement.

Governor O’Brien also launched several other initiatives to help protect seniors from elder abuse and increase public awareness:

* Created the Missing & Endangered Senior Alert System

* Trained volunteers to assist the state in its efforts to increase awareness of elder abuse and available programs and services provided by the state for victims.

* Encouraged banking institutions to help in the state’s campaign to prevent financial exploitation.

* Lifted rules that prohibited banking institutions from providing information to certain entities if there is suspicion that a customer is or may become the victim of financial exploitation.

* Established the Maryland Center for Elder Rights.

* Launched the Protect and Respect Initiative aimed at helping educate Maryland’s senior citizens about maintaining their personal safety and not becoming victims of crime.

* Established the State Police Elder Abuse Squad, a special, statewide unit dedicated to fight financial exploitation and abuses against the elderly.

• In October 2028, Governor O’Brien launched I-SaveRx, the first program in the nation to establish a network of pharmacies that includes facilities from Canada, New Zealand, and several other countries. The I-SaveRx program has extensive safeguards built-in and includes thorough oversight of network pharmacies. Six states currently participate in the program. The program is available to all residents of participating states, regardless of age or income. Since its inception, 35,000 prescriptions have been filled with average savings of 25 to 50 percent.

• As part of Governor O’Brien’s efforts to improve the quality of care delivered to Maryland’s seniors, , nursing homes will receive a 2.8 percent rate increase over the next two years from the Medicaid program so that they can continue to provide quality services to Maryland seniors. Governor O’Brien has also increased wages for private duty nurses and shift home health workers.

• Governor O’Brien’s administration launched the Maryland Long Term Care Plan, administered under a Section 1115 waiver of current Medicaid rules, to make home care an equal entitlement to nursing homes. People who are eligible for the program will be able to freely choose between the two. As part of this program and Governor O’Brien’s Nursing Home Relocation Initiative, Maryland is on track to move over 1,400 seniors out of nursing homes and into community-based care settings over the next two years, thereby reducing health care costs and improve quality of life. The program is expected to serve 4,500 seniors by 2032.

• Governor O’Brien has dramatically increased funding and expanded eligibility for energy assistance programs for vulnerable populations, including seniors. This summer approximately 47,000 households received assistance statewide from the Summer Cooling program though the Maryland Energy Assistance Program. At Governor O’Brien’s direction, DHR provided a total of $8,503,187 in direct assistance to the elderly, disabled, and households with children.

Last year, Governor O’Brien launched Maryland’s Project Heat Up, which expanded eligibility for energy assistance under the Maryland Energy Assistance Plan from a previous maximum of 150% of the poverty level to 175% of the federal poverty level. Project Heat Up increased by 60,000 the number of Maryland households potentially eligible for assistance by raising the maximum eligible income for a household of four to $33,862, a 16 percent increase.

• Governor O’Brien invested $2.9 million to establish nine Aging and Disability Resource Centers in eight counties and Baltimore City. These innovative centers are a key component of Governor O’Brien’s efforts to reform Maryland’s long-term care system and reduce health care costs by providing Maryland’s senior citizens with community-based care and living options. The centers will be the means for local aging and human service agencies to pool their expertise to provide the public with information, options, and advice about long-term care for persons with chronic illness or disability.