What is benevolent care?
Benevolent Care is the discounting of fees, including monthly and ancillary fees, and payment of certain expenses, for residents who have exhausted their assets.

Who is eligible?
All current residents are eligible to apply for Benevolent Care.      

Who is not eligible?
Residents who have depleted their assets in order to qualify for assistance, including those who have transferred assets to family or others.

How many people have benevolent care funds helped?
In 2007, many residents were able to remain in their homes or receive care even though their savings, insurance or Medicaid did not fully cover their costs. During 2007, $2,096,803 in benevolent care was provided to 65 residents living at Asbury Methodist Village, Asbury~Solomons, Bethany Village, Epworth Manor, and Springhill. Additionally, Asbury provided over $4.38 million in uncompensated services to 281 residents at our health care centers. Residents have received assistance with everything from transportation costs of chemotherapy treatments to paying their monthly assisted living fee. To protect resident privacy and dignity, the names of those assisted by benevolent care funds are kept confidential.

How is benevolent care funded?
1. The Benevolent Care Annual Fund, Care Assurance Annual Fund or Fellowship Fund: This includes gifts made annually to Asbury Foundation for immediate use.
2. The Endowment Fund: This includes gifts permanently invested in endowment, creating a principal base that generates interest income. The interest alone is used annually to fund benevolent care.
3. Community Operating Funds: If there is a shortfall in what is raised annually and the endowment interest income, then operational revenue must pick up the cost of benevolent care.

Why are gifts to support benevolent care so important?
Asbury is a not-for-profit corporation and does not receive housing subsidies from the state or federal government. Excess revenue over expenses is used to update facilities and services, not to benefit any outside individual or stockholder. When benevolent care needs must be met through operational revenue, this reduces the amount available to improve the community in general.

All gifts made to a particular community are restricted for the benefit of that community and its residents.

When and how should a resident apply for benevolent care?
Residents should apply for Benevolent Care three to six months prior to exhausting available assets and resources.  Residents shall be provided a Benevolent Care Application, which includes the application form, instruction guide, question guide and requested items form.

The resident must complete, sign and return the application as well as the required supporting documentation to the Executive Director of the community in which the resident lives.

Residents are also asked to update their financial status form each time they enter a care level, such as moving from an apartment to assisted living, or from assisted living to skilled nursing.

Whom should I call if I have questions?
Residents should contact the business manager or executive director of their community. All others may contact  Asbury Foundation at 301-216-4050 or 800-228-0414.

The affiliates of Asbury Communities strive to honor their commitment to benevolent care in ways that do not jeopardize the economic stability of the overall community. Benevolent care can only be provided if gifts and operational revenue are sufficient.

There are minor variations of benevolent care policy at each affiliate, and those interested in learning more about benevolent care at a specific Asbury community should contact the administrator at that community for further details.