Long-Term Care Services

Long-term care, sometimes referred to as long-term living, is a wide range of assistive services provided to an individual based on their needs. Care may range from assistance around the home to sophisticated medical care provided in a nursing facility. If you are looking for programs and services for older Pennsylvanians beyond long-term care, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.

You can apply for or renew your long-term care benefits online by using COMPASS.

COMPASS is the name of the website where you can apply for long-term care services and many other programs that can help you make ends meet, including:

Services My Way (SMW)

A system of supports to assist participants in using self-directed services. Two types of supports are:

  • Information and Assistance (I&A) — These services assist participants in developing and managing their self-directed support services (e.g. assistance with developing and implementing a service plan and budget, accessing services and workers). They are often referred to as support brokers, consultants, or service coordinators. The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) refers to them as care managers in the Aging Waiver and service coordinators in the Attendant Care Waiver.

  • Financial Management Services (FMS) — These services are provided to (a) prepare and distribute payroll and address federal, state, and local employment tax, labor, and workers compensation insurance rules and other requirements that apply when the participant functions as the employer of his or her workers; (b) make financial transactions on behalf of the participant; and (c) generate reports for participants and state program agencies.

Specialized Services

If you are a nursing facility resident, Specialized Services may be available to help you. This service provides training, encouragement, and other tangible supports, which could enable you to acquire, regain, improve, or maximize your skills and abilities, to live a more productive and satisfying life as close to home as possible.

To be eligible for Specialized Services, you must:

  • Be a nursing facility resident
  • Have other related condition(s) occurring before the age of 22 as mandated by the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act (OBRA 87) and provided as agreed to in the Richardson Settlement Agreement
  • Other related conditions (ORCs) include physical, sensory, or neurological disabilities which manifested before age 22, are likely to continue indefinitely, and result in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:
    • Capacity for independent living
    • Mobility
    • Self-direction
    • Learning
    • Understanding and use of language
    • Self-care

Additional eligibility requirements may apply.

Services that may be available to you include:

  • Community integration activities
  • Consumer training
  • Equipment/assessment
  • Peer counseling and support groups
  • Supports coordination and advocacy
  • Transportation services

OLTL Helpline

Call the toll-free Long-Term Living Helpline at 1-800-753-8827.  |  Call the Helpline

Additional Support

If you need additional help finding information about services, please call the Office of Long-Term Living Bureau of Individual Support at 717-787-8091.  |  Call OLTL