ICPN Virtual Learning Series
Guide to Develop and Implement Living Longer/Living Better Initiatives in Indiana Communities: Developing Local Community Care Coalitions
November 4, 1pm EDT
JoAnn M. Burke, Ph.D., LCSW, LMFT, BSN
Chair, Indiana Commission on Aging
The Indiana Commission on Aging invited me to develop this Guide to help local communities develop more age and dementia friendly initiatives by using existing community care coalitions or by developing a new one specifically for this purpose. Why is this important now? Indiana is deinstitutionalizing the care of older adults who qualify for Medicaid and need assistance with at least 3 activities of daily living. This change is being driven by cost and by COVID. Older adults have always preferred to be at home instead of nursing homes. Yet Indiana has been slow to move toward increasing home and community-based services and instead relied heavily on nursing home care. Now two issues are driving this change to home and community-based services: COVID infections in nursing homes and the high cost of nursing home care. Indiana is a politically conservative state with tax-averse voters. Medicaid is a tax funded program that provides health care and long-term services and supports to those with limited income and limited assets. There are rising numbers of older adults needing care and little political interest in raising taxes to pay for care for low-income older adults. Thus, voters have forced the state to look for less expensive ways to care for older adults who need assistance with activities of daily living. Currently, 62% of nursing home beds in Indiana are funded by Medicaid. By 2024, Indiana Medicaid is targeting that only 25% of those older adults who meet the criteria will be directed toward nursing home care. The other 75% will receive services in home and community-based settings. We need to help our older adults, their families, and our local communities become prepared for more older adults with functional and cognitive limitations living in the community. Nurses have a long history of wanting to improve the quality of life in communities. COVID has certainly brought awareness to the need to address issues at local community levels that focus on social determinants of health such as affordable housing, transportation, and access to health care and community services. It is a pleasure to dialogue with parish/faith-based nurses who are interested in helping older Hoosiers and their families navigate this change.
November 4, 1pm EDT
JoAnn M. Burke, Ph.D., LCSW, LMFT, BSN
Chair, Indiana Commission on Aging
The Indiana Commission on Aging invited me to develop this Guide to help local communities develop more age and dementia friendly initiatives by using existing community care coalitions or by developing a new one specifically for this purpose. Why is this important now? Indiana is deinstitutionalizing the care of older adults who qualify for Medicaid and need assistance with at least 3 activities of daily living. This change is being driven by cost and by COVID. Older adults have always preferred to be at home instead of nursing homes. Yet Indiana has been slow to move toward increasing home and community-based services and instead relied heavily on nursing home care. Now two issues are driving this change to home and community-based services: COVID infections in nursing homes and the high cost of nursing home care. Indiana is a politically conservative state with tax-averse voters. Medicaid is a tax funded program that provides health care and long-term services and supports to those with limited income and limited assets. There are rising numbers of older adults needing care and little political interest in raising taxes to pay for care for low-income older adults. Thus, voters have forced the state to look for less expensive ways to care for older adults who need assistance with activities of daily living. Currently, 62% of nursing home beds in Indiana are funded by Medicaid. By 2024, Indiana Medicaid is targeting that only 25% of those older adults who meet the criteria will be directed toward nursing home care. The other 75% will receive services in home and community-based settings. We need to help our older adults, their families, and our local communities become prepared for more older adults with functional and cognitive limitations living in the community. Nurses have a long history of wanting to improve the quality of life in communities. COVID has certainly brought awareness to the need to address issues at local community levels that focus on social determinants of health such as affordable housing, transportation, and access to health care and community services. It is a pleasure to dialogue with parish/faith-based nurses who are interested in helping older Hoosiers and their families navigate this change.
