Options Counseling provides seniors over 60 and people with disabilities of any age with the information they need on long-term services and supports in order to live independently in their community, regardless of disability or income. Options Counselors are trained to work with you, family members and/or significant others to connect you to vital resources and services that fit your current situation and preferences and allow you to stay in your home.

 

Options Counseling is a FREE service.  The program is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and offered through the Suffolk County Aging and Disability Resource Consortium, a group of non-profit elder service and disability organizations.

Option Counselors advise people who are soon to be discharged from a hospital or rehab facility; have been admitted to a long-term care facility following a hospital stay; are facing admission to or residing in a nursing facility; or can remain in the community if a family caregiver receives needed assistance.

An Options Counselor can help you develop your own personal long-term care plan and connect you to options and supports that help you remain in the community.

Whether you are:

  • In a nursing home
  • In the hospital
  • In a rehabilitation facility
  • In a community setting
  • Or in your own home

An Options Counselor can guide you through your questions about living in the community:

  • Can I live in the community safely and independently?
  • What services and supports are available for me in my home?
  • Can I go to a rehab facility or nursing home temporarily and then return to my home?
  • What services, assistive devices, or home modifications are available to support me in my home?
  • Will my insurance cover the costs, and if not, what funding resources may be available for services and supports?

Who do we serve?

  • Seniors age 60 and over
  • Persons of any age who have a disability
  • Family members and caregivers

Examples of the types of services an Options Counselor can provide:

  • Unbiased information about long-term services and supports
  • Assistance with referrals and resources as needed
  • Information about resources available to pay for the services
  • Referrals to experts in the field of your particular disability
  • A consumer-driven approach that ensures that your choices are respected
  • Follow-up and help with planning next steps
  • Counseling when and where you need it

Please contact our Options Counselors for more information or to make an appointment. They will visit you in your own home, meet you in the hospital, or meet with you in a nursing home or in a rehab facility. They are also available by telephone or email.

The Suffolk County Aging and Disability Resource Consortium ensures that there is no wrong door when an elder or a person with a disability contacts one of our agencies for assistance or services.

Ethos
555 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-2672
T: 617.522.6700
TDD: 617.524.2687
optionscounselor@ethocare.org

Boston Center for Independent Living
60 Temple Place, 5th floor
Boston, MA 02111-1324
T: 617.338.6665
TTY: 617.338.6662
info@bostoncil.org

Boston Senior Home Care
89 South Street, Suite 501
Boston, MA 02111-2651
T: 617.451.6400
TTY: 617.695.0437
Options_counselor@bshcinfo.org

Central Boston Elder Services
2315 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02119
T: 617.277.7416
TTY: 617.277.6691
www.centralboston.org

Chelsea Revere Winthrop Elder Services
100 Everett Avenue, Unit 10
P.O. Box 6427
Chelsea, MA 02150
617.884.2500
crw@crwelderservices.org