{"id":11305,"date":"2014-10-23T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-22T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reutheshel.org.il\/%d7%94%d7%9e%d7%93%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9a-%d7%94%d7%9e%d7%9c%d7%90-%d7%9c%d7%96%d7%9b%d7%95%d7%99%d7%95%d7%aa%d7%99%d7%94%d7%9d-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%97%d7%95%d7%9c%d7%99-%d7%93%d7%9e%d7%a0%d7%a6%d7%99%d7%94-2\/?lang=en"},"modified":"2021-02-22T14:48:43","modified_gmt":"2021-02-22T12:48:43","slug":"the-complete-guide-to-the-rights-of-people-with-dementia-and-alzheimers-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reutheshel.org.il\/en\/the-complete-guide-to-the-rights-of-people-with-dementia-and-alzheimers-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rights of People with Dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Long-Term Care Benefit of Bituach Leumi<\/h2>\n

The Long-Term Home Care Insurance Law of Bituach Leumi provides a long-term care benefit<\/a> to citizens of retirement age who need assistance in carrying out daily activities such as dressing, bathing and eating. The benefit is also given to elderly people who need constant supervision in their home to prevent risks to themselves or to others. The long-term care benefit includes the aid of a caregiver in the home of the insured, or alternately, financial assistance in paying for a foreign worker <\/a>at home. It also includes days spent at a daycare center for the elderly, installing an alarm button in the home, laundry services, and supplying disposable absorbency products for the insured individual.<\/p>\n

There are several prerequisites for receiving the long-term care benefit:<\/p>\n

The applicant must be a resident of Israel who has reached retirement age.<\/p>\n

he must require the help of another person in performing everyday activities, or need constant supervision for his own safety as well as the safety of those around him. Functional eligibility for the benefit is determined by a dependency test (evaluation of the applicant\u2019s functioning abilities), by an evaluator (nurse or physiotherapist) from Bituach Leum who visits the elderly person at home.<\/p>\n

It is important to note that when the functional difficulty is a cognitive deterioration – dementia, the problem may not be observable from the outside. The person may look independent in his functions, but a closer examination reveals functional hardships. For example, a person may be physically able to eat, but will not do so unless reminded by someone else. It is therefore important to add a diagnosis from a geriatrician\/ psychogeriatrician and have a family member present at the evaluation, in order to provide additional information about the elderly person\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n

The patient must live in their homes or\u00a0Retirement Home\u00a0and not in an institution.<\/p>\n

His income cannot exceed the amount specified by law: above a certain income he will receive half of the benefit or none at all. The income of the beneficiary\u2019s spouse is also taken into account.<\/p>\n

He is not receiving a pension for personal care from\u00a0Bituach Leumi\u00a0or constant supervision from the Ministry of Defence.<\/p>\n

People receiving the long-term care benefit also enjoy supplementary rights.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Daycare Centers for the Elderly<\/h2>\n

Daycare centers<\/a> for the elderly provide a wide variety of services for disabled and mentally frail individuals, in order to improve their quality of life, and make things easier for their families. The service includes transportation to and from the center, as well as breakfast and lunch. Some centers also offer laundry services, showers, haircuts, manicures and pedicures. Individuals attending the centers enjoy social activities, classes, lectures, trips and more. Professional services such as physiotherapy, nurse\u2019s examinations, administering medications and geriatric consultation are also available. Separate wings and\/ or specially designated daycare centers serve people with impaired memory functions and\/ or physical difficulties.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Some centers operate from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and others are open until 3 or even 7 p.m. (for an additional fee).<\/p>\n

For more information about daycare centers for the elderly click here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Disability Pension from Bituach Leumi<\/h2>\n

Bituach Leumi\u2019s disability benefit <\/a>is paid to a person who has not reached retirement age but has lost more than 50% of his earning capacity, or to a homemaker whose functioning has decreased by more than 50% due to some kind of disability. The purpose of the disability pension is to compensate the disabled person for the loss of his earning capabilities as well as for the disability itself.<\/p>\n

\u00a0The percentage of disability is determined by a physician appointed by Bituach Leumi, based on medical examinations and documents presented by the applicant. Homemakers are referred to a special institute which evaluates their functioning level.<\/p>\n

For eligibility criteria and full information about the Disability Pension click here<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Special Services Pension from Bituach Leumi<\/h2>\n

Bituach Leumi\u2019s special service pension <\/a>is given to individuals under retirement age. This pension is intended for people under retirement age who have already developed Alzheimer\u2019s or dementia, and need the assistance of another person in performing basic tasks, such as dressing, bathing and eating, and\/ or supervision to prevent danger to themselves or their surroundings.<\/p>\n

Eligibility for the pension depends on several criteria:<\/p>\n