Long Term Care ‘Tweeners
By jana on Mar 30, 2008 in Sandwich Generation
What happens to those of us who get to a point that we can’t take care of ourselves but aren’t yet in need of a nursing home? Between home and the nursing home? Tennessee is attempting to answer that question with their Long-Term Care Community Choices Act of 2008. Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen proposed this legislation after his mother was in this long term care ‘tweener situation.
The Community Choices Act will be designed to “expand home care and community-based care and to better inform seniors and their caregivers about the options.” The idea is to stop the use of nursing homes as a stop gap method when the nursing home isn’t needed. Basically, they intend to educate Tennessee citizens on community options such as assisted living, adult day care, and other elder organizations.
According to an article in the Shelbyville Times-Gazette, there are 42 states that have a plan in place similar to this one. They report that the key components to Tennessee’s plan are:
“Create consumer-directed care options, including the ability to hire non-traditional providers like family members, friends and neighbors with accountability for taxpayer funds;
Broaden residential care choices in the community beyond nursing facilities with new options such as companion care, family care homes and improved access to assisted care living facilities;
Streamline the member’s eligibility process for faster service delivery and the enrollment process for new providers;
Maintain a single point of entry for people who are not on TennCare today and need access to long-term care services through Medicaid or other available programs;
Use existing Medicaid funds to serve more people in cost-effective home and community settings;
Designate one entity to coordinate all of the care a TennCare member needs including medical, behavioral and long-term care;
Implement active transition and diversion programs for people who can be safely and effectively cared for at home or in another community setting outside the nursing home; and
Install an electronic visit verification system to monitor home care quality.”
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