The John A. Hartford Foundation recently asked older adults how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their perceptions of nursing homes.
Key findings from the “Age-Friendly Insights” poll, which measured opinions on issues related to improving care for older adults and support for family caregivers, included:
- 71 percent of older adults say they are unwilling to live in a nursing home in the future.
- 57 percent say COVID has influenced whether they’d be willing to live in a nursing home.
- 90 percent say changes are needed to make nursing homes appealing to them.
- Black and Hispanic older adults were more likely to say nursing homes are unsafe.
The report clearly indicates now is the time to redesign how we deliver long-term care to meet older adults’ needs and preferences. Numerous national efforts are underway to ensure all Americans have access to quality long-term care as they age – including access to high-quality nursing home care when that’s their preference.
That said, older adults increasingly indicate their preference is to live in their own homes and communities as they age.
AARP recently released its Home and Community Preferences survey results showing more than three-quarters of adults 50 and older want to stay in their own homes and communities – even if their need for long-term care escalates.
Long-term care is a variety of services and supports to meet health or personal care needs over an extended period. While long-term care is often associated with nursing homes, the truth is that a great deal of care is provided at home.
Many of the services that help people remain in their homes and communities are provided through the Older Americans Act, MI Choice Waiver, PACE and other community-based programs.
Older Americans Act programs provide home and community-based services through state, tribal and local agencies in each state to those 60 and older. In addition, the OAA provides support to family caregivers. Services include, but are not limited to, information and assistance, personal care, nutrition services, transportation and adult day care.
Even when care needs are complex, there are many choices that allow people to live independently while receiving nursing facility level of care in their home or in another community-based setting.
One program is the MI Choice Waiver Program. MI Choice is designed specifically for low-income adults 18 and older who need nursing home level of care but prefer not to live in a nursing home. The program provides them with a choice to receive the services they need in their own home or other community setting, such as an assisted living or adult foster care home.
For qualified individuals, the MI Choice program can provide services such as personal care, homemaking, adult day services, in-home respite programs for the caregiver, nutritional support and personal emergency response systems.
Another program is PACE, or the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. PACE features a comprehensive service delivery system and integrated Medicare and Medicaid financing for frail, elderly people who meet long-term care level of care criteria.
PACE participants receive customized health care and supportive services across a range of settings including their home and the PACE Center. For most PACE participants, the service package allows them to continue living at home while receiving services.
Additional community-based care options include the MDHHS Home Help Program, Community Transition Services, MI Health Link, Community Mental Health Services, state plan Brain Injury Services and Independent Living Support Services through Michigan’s Centers for Independent Living.
The array of care options is wide and can be confusing to navigate. Area Agency on Aging provides unbiased options counseling to assist consumers with exploring their long-term care options, allowing them to make informed decisions based on personal preferences and care needs. Call 800-654-2810 to learn more.
If you are exploring options for someone who lives in another area of the state or nation, you can find options and information at eldercare.acl.gov or by calling the national Elder Care Locator at 800-677-1116