Independent Living
Several states have received community-care waivers, and many have made legislative commitments to developing alternatives to nursing home care.
But it’s not easy to make the transition, says Donna Folkemer, long-term-care policy expert with the National Conference of State Legislatures. “States have been working on the problem for a long time. What states have to do is reduce the institutional bed supply at the same time they create new home-care slots,” she explained.
Once community facilities are set up, states must work with elderly patients to coordinate their services and fill out reams of Medicaid forms to apply for funding.
If home care isn’t arranged quickly enough, patients discharged from hospitals are immediately admitted to nursing homes, where Medicaid payment is guaranteed. More than half of nursing home patients come directly from hospitals.
One solution is to provide a more independent living environment at home.
Assistive Technology Services has dedicated themselves to provide products that allow individuals to stay at home and live independently.
Follow this link for more information:
http://assistivetechnologyservices.com/
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
