History of Changing Landscape of Aging Services
2015
Groundbreakers
Adult Day Health Care as Health Home
June 15, 2015 – Last year, Family Bridges’ Hong Fook Community Based Adult Services Centers began working with other local Adult Day Health Care providers and the California Association of Adult Day Services (CAADS) to establish a “CBAS Health Home” model. The goal was to offer solutions – and opportunities to contract – to hospitals, managed care organizations, hospitals, accountable care organizations and physician groups, as well as work with Medi-Cal’s Health Homes for Patients with Complex Needs program if it launches in Alameda County.
The Family Bridges model targets high-utilizers who are at risk of institutionalization. It features a Nurse Navigator who provides close interaction with primary care physicians and other care providers. Interventions focus on assessing, care planning educating, monitoring, and coaching on self-management, as well as social supports such as transportation, help with ADLs, or overcoming isolation. The program has been piloted at Hong Fook using an outcome measurement system developed by CAADS, and shows remarkable success, including significant reduction of Emergency Department visits.
Click here to view a powerpoint that Corine Jan, Family Bridges Executive Director, presented in January at the CCI Stakeholder Workgroup meeting.
Recent Developments
Research Finds Duals Demonstrations Lacking in Dementia Care Coordination
December 7, 2015 – UCSF released a research brief comparing care coordinator policies in the duals demos. The paper looks at dementia care coordination in CA, IL, MI, NY, OH, SC and VA. The report found that while most state contracts have some language specifying care coordination, key informants noted a lack of adequate and qualified personnel to meet members’ needs. The report also found there was little detail in state requirements about the training content or competencies required for care coordinators working with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. Click here for the report.
County ADRC Wins ACL Grant
March 13, 2015 – In January, Alameda County’s fledgling Aging and Disability Resource Connection won a Targeted Technical Assistance grant from the Administration on Community Living.
2014
Groundbreakers
Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley
Building a Village, One Outcome-Based Program at a Time
January 3, 2014 – Marlene Petersen, Executive Director, describes the approach that SSPTV uses to serve over 3,000 seniors a year as “taking care of the whole person.” The organization serves the Tri-Valley area – encompassing the cities of Pleasanton, Livermore and Dublin. It’s a unique community that is fairly isolated from the rest of Alameda County services, and because of that, SSPTV has formed an eclectic set of services in response to local needs. Read more…
Recent Developments
Medicare To Pay Physicians To Provide Care Coordination Services
August 20, 2014 – Starting in January 2015, Medicare will begin paying physicians a monthly fee to coordinate the care of beneficiaries with chronic illnesses. Physicians will receive a $42-per-month fee for each patient with at least two chronic conditions who enrolls in a care management plan. Click here to read the California Healthline summary.
2013
Groundbreakers
Bay Area Community Services Assesses Readiness
January 31, 2013 – As part of SSC’s January 31 Panel discussion on The Changing Landscape of Aging Services, BACS Executive Director Jamie Almanza described how a SCAN Foundation “Linkage Lab” grant is helping her organization prepare for change. The goal of the Linkage Lab grant is to provide BACS with the necessary training and technical assistance to develop contracts with health care providers to deliver products or services that enable aging with dignity. Read more in SSC’s report here.
Valley Care Demonstrates the Value of Home Delivered Meals
January 31, 2013 – As part of SSC’s January 31st Panel discussion on The Changing Landscape of Aging Services, Gabrielle Chow, Director of Community Nutrition, Valley Care Hospital System, spoke about a project to prove the value of home‐delivered meals in reducing hospital re-admissions among patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Valley Care produces therapeutic diet meals for Meals On Wheels in Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton, which are then delivered by Spectrum Community Services. Read more in SSC’s report here.
Adult Day Health Care Benefit Transitions to Managed Care
January 31, 2013 – It’s been 15 months since a court‐mediated settlement preserved Medi‐Cal coverage for Adult Day Health Care and created a new ADHC benefit called Community‐Based Adult Services (CBAS). Since then, the Adult Day Services Network of Alameda County (ADSNAC) has been working with its members (six organizations that run thirteen adult day programs throughout Alameda County) and with the county’s two Medi‐Cal Managed Care Plans to transition programs and patients into Medi‐Cal managed care. Read more in SSC’s report here.
Recent Developments
Transforming LTSS
December 6, 2013 – This powerpoint deck provides an expansive overview of some of the causes that have impacted the changing landscape of LTSS. It additionally covers the LTSS demographics and data, the financial implications and costs, and ways to frame the evolving future of LTSS.
The powerpoint was presented by Jennie Chin Hansen of the American Geriatrics Society. It is available for download here.
Shifting Roles in MLTSS: State Staff, Community-based Providers, and Managed Care Organizations
December 5, 2013 – This powerpoint deck identifies the key challenges of significant growth within Medicaid Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS); short and long-term goals during the transition period and roles within fee-for-service and MLTSS.
This powerpoint deck is presented by Paul Saucier of Truven Health. Clickhere for the powerpoint slides.
Transforming Community Based Organizations in the New Health-Care Environment
November 29, 2013 – In light of recent and upcoming reforms to the health-care industry, community based organizations are facing numerous changes. To assist with the transformation, this presentation includes preparation and internal assessment tips.
Speakers include Lori Peterson of Collaborative Consulting, Jamie Almanza of Bay Area Community Services and Tom Briody of the Institute on Aging. To view the powerpoint slides, click here.
New Research Validates Home-Delivered Meals Keeps Older Adults Out of Nursing Homes
October 11, 2013 – A recent study published by Project HOPE publication Health Affairs, found that programs that help older adults live independently in the community can also deliver net savings to states on the costs of long-term supports and services. Their conclusion estimates that if all states had increased by 1 percent the number of adults age sixty-five or older who received home-delivered meals in 2009 under Title III of the Older Americans Act, total annual savings to states’ Medicaid programs could have exceeded $109 million. The full article is available only through subscription, click here to link to it.
The Who, What, When, and Where of Data Sources for Building Partnerships with the Health Care Sector
September 10, 2013 – Senior Services Coalition has been participating in the SCAN Foundation’s Community of Constituents initiative, working to improve California’s system of health and supportive services for older adults and people with disabilities. SCAN’s September 19th webinar is an outgrowth of that effort.
This webinar will assist community-based organizations in using data to better understand and target populations as they engage in contractual partnerships with the health care sector. For a recording of the webinar, click here.
Unmet Need for Help with Activities of Daily Living Leads to Increased Risk of Hospital Admission
May 20, 2013 – For community based organizations seeking to convince hospitals and managed care plans that supportive services save money, research studies are an important tool. A study published in The Gerontologist last year is one such tool. Many older patients are discharged from the hospital with an inability to perform one or more Activities of Daily Living. According to the study, those who report unmet need for help with ADL after they return home from the hospital are particularly vulnerable to readmission. The study concludes that patients’ functional needs after discharge should be carefully evaluated and addressed, and we would add that ensuring that patients receive supportive services could prevent readmission. Click here for a PDF of the article, Hospital Readmission Among Older Adults Who Return Home with Unmet Need for ADL Disability.