Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Don't nursing home residents have all their personal needs met?

A. No! Nursing home residents receiving assistance from Medicaid are allowed a monthly Personal Needs Allowance (PNA). The amount of PNA varies by state, with most providing less than $40 per month. In California the amount is $35. Nursing home residents who have no income other than supplemental security income receive only $30 per month for PNA. The remaining income goes to the nursing home for the cost of care. This minimal PNA is expected to fulfill varied personal needs, such as clothing, radios, telephones, televisions, hair cuts, reading material, batteries, stationery, personal care items and occasional outings. How can residents, even on the most basic level, begin to meet these needs on such a minimal allowance? Helping to meet these needs is one of the many ways you can support The Bridge of Hope Foundation.

Q. How does the Bridge of Hope Outreach Project help nursing home residents and people with disabilities?

A. Among other things, we provide nursing home residents with individual visitation, group birthday and other celebrations, singing and praise worship services, and shopping and recreational outings. We also provide residents with many items including various smaller personal needs items to larger items like power wheelchairs, televisions and electric beds. In the past, we have focused our outreach efforts on two local nursing homes while learning how to best help the people we seek to serve. We have now reached the point wherein we are enlarging our mission to use every available resource to extend our outreach to help as many people as possible who reside in nursing homes and/or are disabled, both in our community and nationwide. We believe we can best achieve this goal by sharing what we have learned about the critical needs facing nursing home residents and people with disabilities with others and helping them to emulate our example of serving.

Q. How many nursing homes are there in the United States?

A. There are over 17,000 nursing homes in America.

Q. How many people reside in nursing homes in the United States?

A. Approximately 2 million people reside in nursing homes in the United States.  With exponential growth taking place in our population, within the next two decades, it is estimated an additional 3 million people will be living in nursing homes.

Q. Are donations tax deductible?

A. Yes. The Bridge of Hope Foundation is a registered 501 (C) 3. All donations are fully tax deductible.

Q. What type of donations are needed?

A. Cash donations, power wheelchairs, selected adaptive equipment, new clothing and other items in good condition. Also Automobiles, airplanes, boats, real estate or other items that can be resold by The Bridge of Hope Foundation to generate operating funds.